'Suspicious circumstances...' BJP questions timing of Manipur video being shared ahead of Parliament session

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that even though they are pained by what happened in Manipur and while assuring that strict action is being taken in the case, the timing of the video surfacing just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament raised suspicion.

Team Newsable

First Published Jul 20, 2023, 5:09 PM IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday questioned the timing of the emergence of the video showing the brutality meted out to two girls in Manipur who were stripped naked and gang-raped by a mob on May 4. Briefing media persons, former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that even though they are pained by what happened in Manipur and while assuring that strict action is being taken in the case, the timing of the video surfacing just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament raised suspicion.

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"What happened in Manipur is shameful and unfortunate, but now the situation is normal and the Chief Minister informed that one of the accused has been arrested. The government of Narendra Modi is fully alive to the safety, security of India's women, in any state ruled by any party," he said.

Accusing the Congress of shoot-and-scoot politics, Prasad said that every time a Parliament session gets underway, the Congress party rakes up an issue to disrupt proceedings. But when asked to debate in the House over the issue, they refuse and walk out.

"Congressmen release a balloon before every House and then run away from the debate. All of you will remember... he had brought up the issue of Pegasus, and the government replied that there should be an inquiry from the Supreme Court when the inquiry was done, Rahul Gandhi did not give his own phone. These misdeeds of Congress should be remembered," he said.

Prasad said that the manner in which the video of the May 4 incident came up on the eve of the Parliament session raised eyebrows.

"A question arises in my mind -- Suspicious circumstances... that today we are in July and the incident of the first week of May suddenly comes on Twitter, before the commencement of the House. What does this mean," he asked.

At the same time, he questioned the Congress leaders for conveniently remaining silent on the brutal killings in Rajasthan's Jodhpur. "Manipur's incident is shameful. I want to ask Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge why are you all silent on Rajasthan's Jodhpur murders? In Jodhpur district, a family of four was murdered and then set on fire," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The BJP leader also lashed out at Twitter for allowing the video to be posted and shared en masse.

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Last Updated Jul 20, 2023, 5:09 PM IST