New Delhi, India

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Thursday, while speaking on the no-trust motion in Lok Sabha, hit back at the opposition's attack on the Centre over violence against women in Manipur. 

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Sitharaman invoked how late Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa was humiliated in the state Assembly in 1989.

She recounted the incident when Jayalalithaa's saree was pulled in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

“I agree that women suffering anywhere - Manipur, Delhi, Rajasthan - will have to be taken seriously. No politics played. But I want to remind this entire House of one incident which happened on 25th March 1989 in the Tamil Nadu assembly. Then she hadn't become chief minister, Jayalalithaa's saree was pulled in Tamil Nadu in the assembly. She was the leader of the opposition. The DMK members who were seated there heckled her and laughed at her... Has the DMK forgotten Jayalalithaa? You pulled her saree, you demeaned her. That day Jayalalithaa took an oath that she will never come to the House unless she becomes the CM. Two years later, she returned as the CM of Tamil Nadu,” she said.

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She also slammed MP Kanimozhi and reminded how the DMK had watched Jayalalithaa silently being humiliated in the assembly.

Congress, NCP and DMK MPs stage walkout

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Congress, NCP and DMK MPs staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha as Sitharaman was speaking on the no-confidence motion.

"People moved no confidence against UPA in 2014 and 2019 and defeated them. The situation will be the same in 2024. HM said yesterday, what was the need to change the name of UPA? They have an amazing unity. It is tough to understand if they are fighting against each other or together," she said.

Also read: PM Modi speaks on Manipur issue, says centre and state working together to restore peace

She said that Sengol was ignored for decades by opposition parties and now PM Modi has restored it to its rightful place in Lok Sabha.

"When PM Modi restored it (Sengol) to its rightful place in Lok Sabha, that became an issue, that is an insult of the Tamils. The Sengol was ignored for decades. The Sengol was lost in history and kept in some museum," she said.

"The Kashi Tamil Sangamam showed how Tamil Nadu and Kashi have very deep connections. The first time you heard Tamil being quoted in the United Nations. In 'Mann ki Baat', PM has used Tamil so many times," she added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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