Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “East India Company” jibe at opposition parties naming their alliance as I.N.D.I.A and said they have been demanding that he should speak in Parliament on the ethnic violence in Manipur.
Kharge, who is Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, alleged that BJP is nervous about the successful meetings of opposition parties in Patna and Bengaluru and alleged that the Prime Minister has become “directionless”. “We insist PM Modi to come to the Parliament and speak on the Manipur issue but he is talking about East India Company in his party meeting. Why is he scared about opposition parties naming themselves as I.N.D.I.A. They are nervous because of our successful meetings in Patna and Bengaluru,” Kharge told ANI.
Kharge said that Manipur issue cannot be compared to incidents in some states ruled by non-BJP parties.
“PM Modi has become directionless, he cannot understand what to do and what to say. He is giving several statements outside, but we want him to come to the Parliament and have a detailed discussion and speak on the actions that the Govt is going to take on this. The Manipur issue is not like the ones in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or West Bengal, it is way more serious. This is a concern for all the Northeast states in the country. They are not concerned about the atrocities against women,” the Congress leader told ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday came down heavily on the Opposition on the continued disruptions and ruckus in Parliament over the Manipur issue, stating that their  conduct suggests that they have decided to remain in the Opposition.
“From the Opposition’s conduct, it seems that they have decided to remain in the Opposition. We have to work in the interest of the public and move forward,” PM Modi is learnt to have said at a meeting of BJP Parliamentary Party.
PM Modi took a dig at the emerging alliance of opposition parties which they have named INDIA.   Prasad, who briefed about PM Modi’s remarks, said Prime Minister noted that  something at face value could be different from something that is really true
“PM Modi said like the East India Company, the Indian National Congress was also founded by a foreigner. Today people are using names like Indian Mujahideen and Indian People’s Front. Something at face value could be different from something that is really true”  Prasad told reporters.
Twenty-six opposition parties including Congress, which met in Bengaluru earlier this month, decided to name their alliance – INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance). The first meeting of opposition parties was held in Patna.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament, which began on July 20, has seen repeated adjournments in the face of opposition protests. The opposition is demanding a detailed discussion on Manipur violence and statement by the Prime Minister in Parliament.