New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) The BJP-led NDA government on Tuesday faced opposition fire in Lok Sabha on its handling of the ethnic violence in Manipur with members asserting that peace cannot be restored in the northeastern state at gunpoint and favouring a political solution to the lingering situation.

Replying to the over six-hour discussion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the overall law-and-order situation in Manipur has improved and the Centre will provide all financial support to the state for economic development.

Participating in the discussion on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants-2024-25, excess grants for 2021-22 and the Manipur budget, opposition members also asked the Centre to listen to the apprehension and concerns of the people of the state.

"For the past two-and-a-half years, you have been trying to bring peace in Manipur at gunpoint. You have failed. You have to stop this system of bringing in peace at gunpoint. Talk to the people of Manipur. Listen to their fears. There can only be a political solution to bring peace in Manipur," Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said, initiating the debate in Lok Sabha.

Gogoi's repeated references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on their handling of the Manipur issue touched a raw nerve with the treasury benches. BJP member Nishikant Dubey cited the rule book and urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to direct Gogoi to stick to the supplementary demands for grants which were being discussed in the House.

Gogoi pointed out that the discussion on Manipur budget was clubbed with the supplementary demands for grants on the directions of the Speaker which is why he was referring to the situation in the north-eastern state.

The Congress leader said Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Manipur in 2023 and promised to return soon. "Now, two years have passed and the Home Minister is yet to visit the state," Gogoi said.

"I want the Home Minister to take moral responsibility. The Prime Minister should visit there," he said.

BJP member and former Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb defended the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur.

He said central rule in Manipur was not forced but was imposed out of compulsion as the assembly session could not be convened within the prescribed time and constitutional provisions came into play.

Lok Sabha members from Manipur urged the Centre to address the structural inequalities in the allocation of resources to the state.

The plea was raised by Alfred Kanngam S Arthur, Congress MP from Outer Manipur, and Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, MP from Inner Manipur.

Akoijam said had states such as UP or Bihar faced problems like in Manipur, the government would have responded in a different manner.

"There is a sense of invisibility in the state... you are trying to make us invisible... and you expect people of the state to feel like any other Indians," he said.

"In this situation, you expect us to feel normal and included. Thousands of people are suffering. I expect the government to be sensitive... the budget must reflect that you care for the state," Akoijam said.

SP member Neeraj Maurya said the double-engine government has failed in Manipur and urged the Prime Minister to visit the state once he returns from Mauritius.

Trinamool Congress member Sayani Ghosh said the Prime Minister was silent on Manipur, which has been in the throes of ethnic violence for more than 600 days.

"Only a few empty words were spoken by the prime minister and not even a single substantial step was taken by the central government to handle the Manipur crisis," Ghosh said.

The Trinamool Congress member's remarks drew sharp reaction from Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityananda Rai, who accused her of misleading the House.

Ghosh said President's Rule was imposed not to restore peace in Manipur but to salvage the BJP's‍ political reputation after months of inaction.‍ "This is the truth," she asserted.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal accused Ghosh of abusing the indulgence of the Chair and asked her to stick to financial aspects of Manipur's budget. PTI SKU ZMN