Sonia asked PM Modi for debate in House on Manipur issue, says Adhir

New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen reaching out to Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Parliament on Thursday, the Congress leader urged him to have a detailed discussion on Manipur issue in the House, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

Speaking to IANS, Chowdhury said, "Sonia Gandhi asked Modi that there should be a detailed discussion on Manipur in Parliament."

He said that on the request of Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister replied that he will look into it.

Sonia Gandhi made the demand during her brief conversation with the prime minister in the Lok Sabha on the first day of the Monsoon session. Just before the House met for the day, PM Modi took a round to greet various leaders. It is customary for leaders to greet each other on the first day of the Parliament session.

As the Prime Minister reached the bench of opposition leaders, he had a brief conversation with the former Congress president.

The Parliament's Monsoon Session began on Thursday and will continue till August 11.

The Congress and the other opposition parties have been demanding a detailed discussion over the violence in Manipur and also the parading of two women in the northeastern state by a mob.

The video of the incident of May 4 went viral on Wednesday sparking outrage across the country and led to widespread condemnation of the incident.

Earlier in the day, Modi expressed his pain and anger over the Manipur incident and said the gruesome incident with the women in the northeastern state is very shameful, and can never be forgiven.

"Today, my heart is filled with pain and anger. The incident of Manipur which has surfaced, for any civilised society, this is a very shameful incident," Modi told reporters in the Parliament House Complex ahead of the beginning of the Monsoon Session, referring to the horrific video which went viral on social media, of two women being paraded naked in Manipur.

He said, "This incident is an insult for the entire nation as it has shamed 140 crore countrymen. The incident which happened with the women in Manipur can never be forgiven. I assure the countrymen that no one will be spared."