NEW DELHI, Sept 4: The Congress on Monday attacked the
Centre over its handling of the situation in Manipur, alleging
that four months after ethnic violence broke out, the state lies
“forgotten” by the Modi government.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that in the last
four months, the world has witnessed “how the prime minister
(Narendra Modi) has failed Manipur during its worst crisis”.
In a post on X, Ramesh alleged that “while the prime minister
and his drum-beaters are obsessed with G20, four months after
ethnic violence broke out on May 3rd, Manipur lies forgotten
by the Modi government”.
The chief minister (N Biren Singh) has ensured that the
Manipuri society is more divided today than ever before, he
said.
“The Union home minister (Amit Shah) has failed to put an end
to the violence and ensure the recovery of arms and
ammunition. Instead, many more armed groups have entered
the conflict,” Ramesh said.
The prime minister “refuses” to visit Manipur, or lead an all-
party delegation, or initiate any credible peace process, he said.
“Has he even met his own colleague from Manipur in the
cabinet,” the Congress general secretary asked.
“In the midst of a humanitarian tragedy, there is a complete
and total breakdown of the Constitutional machinery and trust
between communities in Manipur,” he alleged.
His remarks come after the Manipur government shifted the
last of 10 Kuki families comprising 24 members from Imphal’s
New Lambulane area where they had been living for decades
and did not move elsewhere even after the ethnic violence
broke out in the northeastern state four months ago.
These families were taken to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi
district on the northern side of the Imphal Valley early on
Saturday, as they had become “vulnerable targets”, an official
said.
The Kuki families alleged that they were forcibly evicted from
their residences in the New Lambulane area to Motbung.
More than 160 people lost their lives and several hundreds
were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur in
early May after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the
hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand
for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population
and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Nagas and Kukis constitute
little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts. (PTI)
