‘You Burnt Manipur, Pushed It Into Civil War’: Rahul Attacks Modi In Fiery Lok Sabha Speech | WATCH

Lok Sabha Session: Congress leader Monday launched a scathing attacking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government, accusing the BJP-led dispensation of fermenting ethnic strike in Manipur and pushing the northeastern state into a “civil war” due to its policies and politics.

In a fiery speech, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also castigated Modi for not paying a single visit to Manipur since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May last year.

“You have immersed Manipur into a civil war. Manipur has been burnt by you, your policies and your politics,” said Gandhi who initiated the debate on behalf of the opposition in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks for the president’s address.

The Congress MP alleged that the BJP-led NDA government is acting as if nothing has happened in Manipur and asserted that it seems like the state does not exist for the Prime Minister as he refuses to go there.

“For the prime minister, there is no state of Manipur. We urged the prime minister to give a message, to go there. But no. You cannot get a reply (from the prime minister),” he said.

LoP Rahul Gandhi has raised the issue of Manipur Burning and the snatching away the Statehood of J&K and Ladakh. pic.twitter.com/ZEAhPJSPSo

— Newton (@newt0nlaws) July 1, 2024

Rahul Gandhi also referred to the plight of the women in the violence-torn northeastern state and responding to a remark from the treasury benches, said “you do not include women in your organisation, but I can speak about them”.

Manipur has been on the boil since May last year as ethnic violence broke out in the state after a march was organised by Kuki tribals in the hill districts to protest against the valley-dominant Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

NEET a ‘commercial’ exam tailored for the rich

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also hit out at the government over the NEET-UG paper leak and irregularities, asserting that the medical entrance test is not a professional exam anymore but a “commercial” one tailored for the rich, not for meritorious people.

Attacking the government over alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET this year, Gandhi claimed that there have been 70 paper leaks in seven years but the government was not allowing a discussion on this because it is not interested in the future of students.

Gandhi alleged that professional exams have been converted into commercial exams.

“NEET is not a professional exam… it is a commercial exam. A student can be top NEET, can be an excellent student, but cannot go to a medical college if he or she doesn’t have money.

“The entire exam has been made (customised) for rich students, you have centralised the entire exam… thousands of crores of rupees are being made… there have been 70 paper leaks in seven years,” Gandhi added.

The Congress leader’s remark came during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament.

(With PTI inputs)