Daily Times

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inaction over deadly ethnic conflict in the country’s northeast on Wednesday, in his first parliamentary speech since his defamation conviction was suspended.

Modi’s administration is being forced this week to defend its conduct over months of violence in Manipur state that has killed at least 120 people.

Gandhi’s fiery address to the chamber was part of a no-confidence debate demanding the government’s resignation for letting the unrest fester for months.

“You are throwing kerosene in the whole country. You threw kerosene in Manipur, and lit a spark,” Gandhi said, with cheers from supporters and jeers from rival lawmakers. “You’re set on burning the whole country. You are killing Mother India”, he added.

“India’s army can bring in peace in one day but you’re not using it,” Gandhi told fellow lawmakers.

“If Modi doesn’t listen to the voice of India, then whose voice does he listen to?”

Soldiers have been rushed in from other parts of India to contain the violence and a curfew and internet shutdown remain in force across most of the state.

Government minister Smriti Irani refuted Gandhi’s allegations, saying the party was always ready to discuss the Manipur issue in parliament.

“They ran away from the discussion, not us,” Irani said. “Rahul Gandhi said kerosene has been poured all over the country. And where all did you go to find the matchbox, Rahul Gandhi?” she added. Gandhi, 53, the scion of India’s premier political dynasty, was restored to parliament on Monday after the Supreme Court last week suspended his defamation conviction over comments criticising Modi.