Govt’s Failure: Manipur Strife Ignored by PM Modi – INDIA MPs
New Delhi: A team of 21 Opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc visiting Manipur has demanded Central Government’s intervention in the state for restoration of peace and normalcy.
In a memorandum submitted to Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, the MPs also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” and said it showed Modi’s “brazen indifference” to the situation in Manipur.
The memorandum, signed by all 21 members of the multi-party Opposition delegation visiting the trouble-torn state said, “We earnestly request you to restore peace and normalcy, taking all effective measures, where justice should be the cornerstone”.
“You are also requested to apprise the Union Government of the complete breakdown of law and order in Manipur for the last 89 days so as to enable them to intervene in the precarious situation in Manipur and restore peace and normalcy”, the memorandum urged Governor Uikey.
The 21 member team of MPs representing as many as 16 Opposition parties yesterday visited relief camps in Imphal and Moirang (housing Meitei refugess) and Churanchandpur (where Kuki refugees driven away from Mritei majority parts of the state have been given shelter). They met the Governor this morning and presented the memorandum to her before flying back to Delhi.
“There is an anger and a sense of alienation among all communities which has to be addressed without delay”, the memorandum noted.
According to the memorandum, the failure of the state government and the Central Government to protect life and properties of the people is evident from the fact that more than 140 people were killed, more than 500 were injured and over 60,000 people have been displaced in the ongoing riots.
The continued Internet ban for last three months has been adding to the unsubstantiated rumours and creating further mistrust between communities, the memorandum stated.
Addressing reporters outside the Raj Bhavan in Imphal, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “The Manipur Governor heard our observations and agreed to those. She expressed sorrow over the incidents of violence and suggested that an all-party delegation should visit Manipur to talk to people to remove mistrust among communities.”
“We have requested a discussion on Manipur in Parliament as the situation is deteriorating every day,” he said.
The Opposition delegation arrived in Manipur on Saturday to assess the ground situation and meet victims of the three-month ethnic riots in the state.
Besides Chowdhury and Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, the delegation includes TMC’s Sushmita Dev, JMM’s Mahua Maji, DMK’s Kanimozhi, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N K Premachandran of RSP, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Aneel Prasad Hegde (JD-U), CPI’s P Sandosh Kumar and CPI(M)’s A A Rahim among others.
Violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.
