New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday asked why has the “double engine” BJP government failed to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur as it alleged that the prime minister has remained a “mute spectator” and has not even chaired a meeting on the situation in the violence-hit state.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also alleged that the measures announced by Home Minister Amit Shah were “too little and too late” and have failed to deliver on the ground.
“Shri Narendra Modi has remained a mute spectator. Modi ji has not even had the time to chair a meeting on Manipur. But, the Congress party shall keep questioning Modi Government’s rank incompetence,” he said on Twitter.
“Why has the ‘double engine’ BJP Government failed to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur? Is it because the BJP intends to widen the fissures between ethnic groups for its cheap political gains?” he also asked.
Kharge said news reports of “NDA’s NEDA chairman and Assam chief minister and RSS’ national executive member taking the help of insurgent groups” to fight previous elections are clearly saying so.
“Why hasn’t the Prime Minister not called an All-Party meeting to deliberate political solutions? It is high time the Modi government take responsibility for their crimes perpetrated on the people of Manipur and becomes accountable,” he said.
The Congress chief said nine people have lost their lives in Manipur violence on Tuesday.
“The Modi government’s shameless drumbeating about Northeast has drowned the voices of humanity in Manipur,” he said.
“Even as a beautiful border state of India is plunged into an unending spiral of raging fire, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned the other way,” he said, adding that miscreants have ransacked five lakh ammunition pieces and 4,573 weapons from police armouries, and hundreds of places of worship have been destroyed.
It is unthinkable that troops that 19 Assam Rifles vehicles, which are operationally under Indian Army, have been left stranded and had to be supplied rations by army helicopters, yesterday, he said, noting that the National Highway – NH-02 has been blocked by protesting groups have resulted in massive logistical challenges.
“The measures announced by Union Home Minister were too little and too late and failed to deliver on the ground,” Kharge said.
Congress general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh also attacked the Centre over the situation in Manipur, saying Shah’s “belated” visit hasn’t had a significant impact as the agony of the people of the state continues unabated.
At least nine people were killed and 10 injured in the latest incident of violence in which a village in the Khamenlok area was targeted, officials said on Wednesday.
Tagging a media report on the violence, Ramesh said, “The agony of the people of Manipur continues unabated. Their agony is the nation’s pain but clearly not the PM’s – he continues to maintain silence.”
“HM’s belated visit and outsourced interventions to Assam CM are not having any significant impact,” he said.
The Congress has accused the BJP of playing divisive politics in Manipur and claimed that the current situation in the northeastern state is a result of it.
Manipur has seen violence between various communities since May 3.
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More than 100 people lost their lives and 310 others were injured in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in Manipur that broke out a month ago. Army and para-military personnel were deployed to restore peace in the state.
Clashes first broke out 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.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals – Nagas and Kukis – constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Also read: Opinion: Why I blame the Central govt for ethnic violence in Manipur