IMPHAL, July 10 (NNN): The Congress party in Manipur slammed union minister of state for external affairs and education, Dr RK Ranjan for making a “baseless allegation” against the former.
The union minister, who is the MP from Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency, had reportedly told a news channel on Sunday, that the present crisis in Manipur is the fallout of blunders committed by the Congress government.
“The Union minister was making baseless allegations against the Congress. The party never expected such a low standard remark from such a personality who is highly regarded by the people of the state,” a Congress leader said.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Imphal on Monday, former chief minister O Ibobi Singh said that blaming the Congress party for the present crisis is baseless and unfounded.
“In this critical juncture of Manipur, the Congress does not want to engage in debates in such topics and the people of the state will not want to listen to such allegations and counter allegations among the political parties,” he stated.
On many occasions, the Congress party had expressed its desire not to politicize the current problem and has been calling for a concerted effort to bring back normalcy in the state by all the political parties, Ibobi also said.
The Congress had put its clear-cut stand on the matter earlier when AICC leader Rahul Gandhi visited the state, he added.
However, the Congress was compelled to clarify as the union minister came up with the allegation, Ibobi also said.
When the MLAs cutting across the political parties attempted to meet the Prime Minister and the union home minister and sought his intervention in New Delhi, he (RK Ranjan) remained silent, Ibobi alleged.
Ibobi then said that the Congress supported the demand for summoning a special session of the Manipur Assembly to discuss the crisis pressed by various organisations of the state.