Indian parliament adjourned for 2nd day amid protests over Manipur

NEW DELHI, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Both houses of the Indian parliament were adjourned on Friday for the second day amid protests from lawmakers of opposition parties over the situation in the strife-torn state of Manipur.

Officials said the second day of the ongoing monsoon session of the Indian parliament witnessed chaos as lawmakers from the opposition parties resorted to sloganeering over the Manipur violence.

In the Lok Sabha, the lawmakers from the opposition parties, including Congress party, trooped into the well, raising slogans over Manipur. The protesting members were demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the house over the situation in Manipur.

Defense minister Rajnath Singh said the government was ready to hold a discussion on incidents in Manipur but the opposition was not serious about it.

Manipur is on edge since May 3 when large-scale violence broke out in the northeastern state during a tribal protest over the inclusion of the non-tribal Meiteis community for a scheduled tribe status designated for disadvantaged socio-economic groups, which gives them reservations in education and government jobs.

The ongoing violence in Manipur has so far killed 142 people, injured over 3,000 and displaced 60,000.