A routine parliamentary discussion on extending the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, to Manipur escalated into a fiery political clash on December 3, as opposition parties united to accuse the Central government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of a “murder of democracy” by maintaining prolonged President’s Rule in the northeastern state.
The attack was spearheaded by Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev, who questioned the propriety of Parliament performing legislative functions meant for the Manipur Assembly. Dev demanded the immediate restoration of an elected government, stating, “There is a suspended assembly, there is President’s Rule. People are living in relief camps, IDPs are protesting outside Raj Bhawan, and we are making a mockery of their suffering by pushing a Water Pollution Act amendment.”
Congress MP Neeraj Dangi reinforced the criticism, asserting that the resolution was only necessitated because “law and order totally collapsed” under the BJP’s watch. Dangi accused the Prime Minister of avoiding Manipur during the crisis’s peak, claiming his recent September 2025 visit was “only for votes.” Separately, Dangi also raised objections regarding the amended Act’s dilution of penalty provisions.
Other opposition members joined the chorus, questioning the continued suspension of the state assembly. DMK’s P Wilson and BRS MP K R Suresh Reddy challenged how long Parliament would continue to “usurp the role” of the suspended assembly. CPI(M) member V Shivadasan denounced the delay in holding elections as “cruelty towards the people of Manipur,” suggesting the legislation would primarily benefit corporate interests over genuine environmental protection. CPI MP Sandosh Kumar also demanded the immediate return of democratic governance to the state. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi stated her party supported the bill “in protest,” highlighting that Manipur has been without an elected assembly since the 2023 crisis began. SP’s Jaya Amitabh Bachchan implored the Centre not to “control Manipur from Delhi,” expressing confidence that the state’s residents “will clean the rivers themselves” once elections are held.
Amid the political sparring over Manipur, the debate briefly turned to the broader issue of pollution. NCP MP Fauzia Khan and independent Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel emphasized the national challenge of tackling water and air pollution, urging for stricter enforcement and systemic reform of pollution control boards. AAP MP Swati Maliwal specifically called for a special fund to clean the Yamuna River and for Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to be built on a mission mode.
BJP MPs, however, rose to defend the government’s actions, insisting the Centre had responded responsibly to the crisis. BJP’s Shambhu Sharan Patel stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah “camped in Manipur for 137 days” and confirmed that the Prime Minister had visited the state. Another BJP member, Lahar Singh Siroya, added that the government had successfully managed pollution in Bihar and was prepared to duplicate similar measures in West Bengal.
The discussion concluded without a consensus on the Act’s application to Manipur, but the opposition’s unified and vocal demand for immediate elections underscored the mounting political pressure on the Centre to swiftly restore democratic processes in the conflict-affected state.
