“No clear roadmap to restore peace in Manipur”: State Congress chief slams BJP

Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 19 (ANI): Manipur Congress chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh spoke on Monday about the current situation in Manipur and alleged negligence and ignorance on the part of the BJP-led state government and the Centre, claiming that the ruling party has not provided any clear roadmap to restore peace in the state despite repeated appeals from the INDIA bloc.

Speaking to ANI, the Manipur Congress chief said, “The opposition party in the state appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur once, which he did not do in the course of the 15 months after the violence hit the state. The Congress and the entire INDIA bloc had requested the Centre a concrete roadmap to intervene and resolve the problems of the people of Manipur after the crisis.”

“The central government did not listen to the opposition and did not provide a roadmap for the state. For all we can say, the unrest in the state is the handiwork of the state and the central government. That is why they are silent, ignorant and neglecting to bring a solution to the issues in Manipur,” he said.

The Manipur Congress chief further said that it was quite unfortunate for the Centre to not provide a roadmap to solve the problems here.

“I don’t think this working style of the BJP government and the Centre will bring peace to Manipur,” said the Manipur Congress chief.

He also mentioned that the Congress has repeatedly demanded the resignation of the present CM of Manipur but the Centre did not even acknowledge that.

“This reflects the negligence of the Centre towards the state. Even the ruling MLAs and the ministers of BJP have been asking if Manipur is a unit of India or not. It is very questionable. It is not a fight between two countries but a difference meted out between the states of the same country,” he said.

The Manipur Congress Chief also raised a strong objection to the use of the term “Chin State of Manipur” in the draft of Vision India 2047 document of the North East Council (NEC).

The report, however said the said that the North Eastern Council (NEC) has withdrew its draft vision 2047 document after Manipur CM N Biren Singh pointed out an inaccuracy in it regarding the Kuki (Chin) tribe of the state being erroneously identified as originating from “Chin State of Manipur”.

Earlier on August 15, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, met with a group of citizens from Manipur who live in Delhi. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again to visit the violence-hit state.

The people included all major ethnic groups in Manipur and Rahul spent more than two hours with them after attending the Red Fort Independence Day celebration.

“I met with a group of Manipuri people living in Delhi who shared their heartbreaking struggles since the onset of the conflict in their region. They spoke of the pain of being separated from loved ones and the physical and mental toll the conflict has taken on their communities,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X.

“Out of concern for their safety, they requested that their faces not be shown, fearing retribution. This is the harsh reality our brothers and sisters in Manipur endure–a state of constant fear,” he added.

The Congress leader said that true freedom remains elusive in Manipur and urged the nation to reflect on the plight of the state as India celebrates Independence Day.

“I urge the Prime Minister once again to visit Manipur and impress upon both the central and state governments to work towards a peaceful resolution at the earliest,” he said.

Members of the group who met Rahul shared their pain of being cut off from their friends and family and about the friendships that have ended as a result of the conflict, according to a Congress release.

They also spoke of the problems of physical safety and mental health and the challenges to relief efforts being faced by the people of Manipur.

Rahul has attacked PM Modi multiple times for not visiting Manipur since violence erupted there between the valley-based Meitei community and the hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023.

Violence erupted in the northeastern state following clashes during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.

Intermittent incidents of violence between the two communities are still being reported and the state is under heavy security cover.