New Delhi: The CPI-M has alleged that the ethnic violence in Manipur has become “emblematic” of the BJP’s divisive politics in the Northeast region and questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
The latest editorial of the party mouthpiece People’s Democracy says that after the BJP came to power in the state in 2017, the RSS and its outfits have been active to consolidate the Meiteis as a Hindu force against the Kukis who are Christians. This has given the Meitei-Kuki conflict the contours of a Hindu-Christian conflict too, it said.
“Manipur burning has become emblematic of the divisive politics of the BJP in the Northeast. Only four months ago, in February, Narendra Modi had crowed about the success of the BJP in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland elections in the Northeast. He claimed Christians in the region are accepting the BJP.
“The home minister, Amit Shah, visited the state on May 29, a full 26 days after violence engulfed the state. His visit and the measures announced have not stemmed the violence. The divide between the Meiteis and the Kukis is now complete with extremist elements on both sides exploiting the lawless situation,” the CPI-M said in the editorial.
Accusing the N Biren Singh government of aggravating the situation by initiating eviction measures in the reserve forests, which affected a large number of Kuki families, the editorial said that the crackdown on poppy cultivation was also seen as a hostile act against the Kukis.
“The RSS-BJP have been encouraging extremist Meitei groups like Arambai Tengol and Meitei Leepun, who have been propagating against the Kukis and branding them as illegal outsiders. The duplicitous game of the BJP was exposed when it was found that it has been enlisting some of the Kuki armed militant groups to help it during the elections,” it said.
Questioning PM Modi on his silence over the issue, the editorial said how delegation of MPs from Manipur have been waiting to meet him in Delhi.
“The most intriguing part of the whole affair is the total silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has not spoken a single word about the situation in Manipur nor appealed for peace and restoration of normalcy.
“Three political delegations, two of them comprising BJP MLAs and the third of opposition parties from Manipur, waited in vain in Delhi to meet the prime minister. They only saw him leaving the country for the United States. This complete lack of accountability on the part of the prime minister has infuriated all sections of the people of Manipur,” it said.
The editorial further said that with the state government in shambles and no clear line of authority established, the first step necessary is a political one — removal of the Biren Singh government.
“Without such a step, there can be no way out of the mess created by the narrow and sectarian politics of the ruling party in the Northeast,” it said.
