Opposition running away from Manipur debate: Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday claimed that the opposition was "running away from a discussion" in Parliament on the Manipur situation, accusing them of using incidents of crime against women to further political gains.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, he said the government was ready for a debate on the Manipur situation in the House during which similar incidents of crime against women in other states such as Rajasthan should also be discussed.

A video of two women being paraded naked by a group of men in Manipur, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 3, drew sharp reactions from the opposition leaders who demanded a discussion in Parliament on the situation in the state.

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Breaking his silence on the Manipur situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the incident of Manipur was a shame for any civilised society and those guilty will be dealt with the full might of the law.

"Unfortunately, the opposition is seeing this incident through a political lens and wants to politicise it. We have said we are ready for debate, but the opposition is running away from debate," Thakur, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting said.

The senior BJP leader also referred to incidents of crime against women in Rajasthan, and said Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should also speak on them.

"Will Sonia Gandhi and the opposition remain a mute witness to such incidents in other states and shed tears only for one state (Manipur). How can you discriminate between states when it comes to incidents of crime against women. You are treating women as a political tool," Thakur said.

The BJP leader claimed that Congress-ruled Rajasthan has seen the maximum number of incidents of atrocities against women.

"In the last 54 months more than 10 lakh criminal cases have been registered, more than 7,500 innocents were killed and 1.90 lakh atrocities against women cases were registered," he claimed.

"These figures speak for themselves. There have also been incidents of rape cases of Dalit women. Rajasthan ranks number one in the cases of crime against women," the minister said.

He wondered whether Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was aware of a video of a gangrape incident in Rajasthan that went viral where the victim was brutalised in the presence of her husband.

In Jaipur, barely five km from the chief minister's residence, a 10-year-old boy was witness to the rape and burning of his mother, Thakur said, adding that even Congress MLA Divya Maderna had said she felt insecure in Rajasthan.

"We have said we are ready for debate on Manipur. Why are you running away from discussion, Sonia ji and Rahul ji? You will have to respond to the incidents in Rajasthan," Thakur said.