NEW DELHI, June 30: The Congress Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “not finding time” yet to visit conflict-torn Manipur, with party general secretary Jairam Ramesh recalling the “drama” around chief minister N Biren Singh’s resignation last year.
“Exactly a year ago, a big resignation drama was staged in Imphal,” Ramesh said in a post on X, sharing a photograph of Singh’s torn resignation letter.
“The agony and anguish of Manipur continue. The non-biological PM has time for everything else but visiting the troubled state or even talking to its elected representatives face-to-face,” he said.
Manipur has been on the boil since May last year as ethnic violence broke out after a march by Kuki tribals in the hill districts to protest against the valley-dominant Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribes status.
At the peak of ethnic clashes in Manipur last year, Singh had come close to resignation in June, but was stopped by his supporters from quitting.
Hundreds of women had formed a human chain and stopped him from going to the Governor’s House to tender his resignation. The resignation letter was also torn by them.
The Congress won both the seats in Manipur — Outer Manipur and Inner Manipur — in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Since then, more than 220 people from both the communities as well security personnel have been killed. A BJP-led government has been in power in the state since 2017. (PTI)
