IMPHAL, Jan 7: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has alleged that a lack of political will is behind the escalation of ethnic violence in Manipur.
Addressing a press conference held at Hotel Nirmala in Imphal on Sunday, the national general secretary of the CPI, Palap Sengupta, said that even after more than eight months since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur, both the Centre and the state government have failed to act to bring back peace and normalcy.
“We really don’t know after how many deaths of Manipuri people our Prime Minister will visit Manipur. It is almost the same question people are asking: after how many thousand deaths of Palestinian people will Israel declare a ceasefire?”
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“The same question is raised here: how many people, after being killed here, will our Prime Minister give a chance to visit Manipur?” he added.
Sengupta further said that it is a shameful act that the whole world is watching what is happening in Manipur.
“Our party (CPI) discussed the issue of Manipur, and we are of the opinion that our first priority is the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state, to stop the killings and burning of houses,” he said.
He said that both the state and the central governments should act to restore peace and normalcy in the state, adding, “If the governments do not act, people of all communities in Manipur will be the victims of the violent conflict.”
“India’s security agencies are very strong. Our army is ready to fight even China and Pakistan at the same time. But, if there is no political will, these security agencies could not stop the violence,” he added.
The CPI also emphasised that there can be elections, but before the elections, there should be a conducive political atmosphere so that the people can cast their votes and elect their representatives in a free and fair manner, he also said.
But that might not be the case in Manipur, the CPI leader added.
Sengupta then said that the CPI had repeatedly requested the chief minister to do the needful for the restoration of peace and normalcy, and the party will once again request him on the same matter.
The party leaders in New Delhi will also try to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and request him to visit Manipur and convince the communities in conflict, he said.
He then said that the Prime Minister should at least take some steps so that normalcy can be restored in Manipur.
Sengupta, who came to Imphal to attend an extended executive meeting of the CPI Manipur State Council, said that the extended meeting held on Saturday has thoroughly deliberated the prevailing situation in the state.
The meeting resolved to urge the state government to convene the session of the Manipur legislative so that it can discuss the prevailing conflict situation and adopt a resolution to end the violence.
The meeting further decided to launch a mass hunger strike to press the state government to convene the Assembly session and also to press the Centre and the state government to take up necessary steps to end the violence with political will, he said. (NNN)
