Newly elected MPs meet Rahul; Kharge slams PM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24 2024: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to address critical issues such as the NEET exam irregularities and the ongoing violence in Manipur during his pre-Parliament speech.

Meanwhile, a team of State Congress leaders including newly elected MPs Dr Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kanngam Arthur called on Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed Manipur issue in Delhi today.

Apart from Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur, the State Congress team included former Chief Minister and CLP leader Okram Ibobi, Deputy CLP leader MLA K Ranjit, MPCC president MLA K Meghachandra, AICC Working Committee member Gaikhangam, Congress' State chief whip MLA Th Lokeshwar and MLA Okram Surjakumar.

Newly elected MPs meet Rahul; Kharge slams PM

The meeting between the State Congress' delegation and the party's Central leaders including AICC general secretary (administration) KC Venugopal took place at the AICC office on Akbar Road at around 8.45 pm today.

The meeting lasted for an hour.

During the meeting, Okram Ibobi briefed Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Khar-ge about the present situa- tion in Manipur, and urged them to let the Manipur MP-elects press the issue in the Parliament's ongoing session.

In response, Rahul Gandhi assured the former CM and the State delegation that the Opposition takes the Manipur issue very seriously and the party would raise the issue in the Parliament to bring about normalcy and peace.

Rahul Gandhi also assured that they would make all efforts to see that Dr Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kanngam get ample time to speak in the Parliament on the burning issue of Manipur.

Notably, CLP leader Okram Ibobi, former Deputy CM Gaikhangam, MPCC president K Meghachandra and MLA O Surjakumar flew to Delhi today to meet Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.

MP elects, Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur, Deputy CLP leader MLA K Ranjit and MLA Lokeshwar were already in Delhi for the meet.

The State delegation including the elected MPs will meet AICC chairperson Sonia Gandhi and discuss the Manipur issue tomorrow.

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began today.

The session today saw elected MPs taking oaths in alphabetical order.

The remaining elected MPs including Dr Bimol and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur are likely to take the oath tomorrow.

Earlier, Kharge accused the Prime Minister and his Government of continuing to govern by repeatedly invoking the Emergency period instead of focusing on present-day issues.

Responding to PM Modi's remarks made before the commencement of the 18th Lok Sabha session, Kharge said, "He will repeat this 100 times.

Without declaring an emergency, you are acting this way.

How long do you plan to rule by bringing this up?" .

He also criticized Modi on social media platform X for not mentioning significant concerns such as the NEET exam irregularities, the violence in Manipur, and the recent train accident in West Bengal.

Kharge pointed out that despite the country's expectation for Modi to address these pressing issues, the Prime Minister resorted to "customary words" in his speech.

He added that the "arrogance" remains despite past defeats.

In a detailed post on X, Kharge wrote, "He will show some sympathy towards youth regarding paper leak in NEET and other entrance exams, but he will not take any responsibility for the rigging and corruption of his Government.

Modi ji also remained silent about the recent train accident in West Bengal.

Manipur has been in the grip of violence for the last 13 months, but Modiji neither went there nor did he express any concern about the recent violence in his speech today" .

Kharge also highlighted other issues in his post, such as the flood situation in Assam and the long-pending National census, calling for the Prime Minister to address these concerns urgently.

(With inputs from India Today NE) .