New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Amid the recent escalation of violence in Manipur, the Congress on Monday demanded that Chief Minister N Biren Singh be immediately dismissed and the Union government take full responsibility of the sensitive security situation.
The opposition party also said the Supreme Court-mandated Manipur Commission of Inquiry must expedite its probe.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “abject failure” in Manipur is “unforgivable”.
The Congress’ assertions come amid fresh violence in which at least five people were killed in the state’s Jiribam district on Saturday.
According to police, militants entered the house of a person and shot him dead in his sleep. Following the murder, there was a heavy exchange of fire between members of the warring communities, leading to the deaths of four armed men.
Ethnically diverse Jiribam, which was earlier largely untouched by the ethnic clashes in Imphal Valley and adjoining hills, erupted in violence after a 59-year-old man belonging to one community was killed allegedly by militants of another community in June.
In a post on X, Kharge said, “PM Modi’s abject failure in Manipur is unforgivable. Former Manipur Governor, Anusuiya Uikey ji has echoed the voice of the people of Manipur. She said that people of the strife-torn state are upset and sad, for they wanted PM Modi to visit them.”
In the past 16 months, Prime Minister Modi has not spent a single second in Manipur, even as violence continues unabated in the state and people suffer the consequences of “Modi-Shah’s complicity”, the Congress president said.
“BJP’s Manipur CM who has set a record in shamelessly brazening out his rank incompetence has reportedly demanded the transfer of the ‘Unified Command’ to the state government,” he said.
Kharge said the unified command oversees security operations in Manipur and is currently handled by a team of Union Home Ministry officials, the state security adviser and the Indian Army.
“Just like the PM, it looks like the Union Home Minister has also given up on his Constitutional responsibility to ensure security in Manipur, and is busy politicking and addressing rallies in election-going states,” Kharge said.
He said drone and rocket-propelled grenade attacks have begun, and this is now turning out to be a national security threat. In such a serious situation, the BJP seems to enact a resignation drama, he added.
Kharge said the Congress demands that there should be a massive crackdown on all kinds of insurgent groups with the help of the state forces, he said.
“The Supreme Court mandated and monitored Manipur Commission of Inquiry into ethnic violence must expedite its investigation. Modi government must not misuse CBI, NIA and other agencies investigating the violence,” Kharge demanded.
Attempts to foster peace and normalcy must start immediately by taking all political parties, representatives and civil society members of every community on board, he said.
“People of Manipur are asking, why doesn’t Modi ji want to end violence in the state?” Kharge said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also lashed out at the government and said “the Prime Minister’s indifference” over the issue is “unforgivable”.
“Manipur has been burning for almost one and a half years. There is daily violence, murders, riots, displacement… houses are burning, families are being destroyed, lives are being ruined, thousands of families are forced to spend their days in relief camps. The prime minister has not made any effort to stop this till now,” she alleged.
“It has never happened that a state of the country is left burning like this for months and no one even talks about it. The internal security of the country does not depend on anyone’s wish, it is an essential responsibility. The prime minister’s indifference is unforgivable,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
Congress general secretary, in-charge organisation, K C Venugopal said every time it appears as if Manipur might be returning to normalcy, “we see a fresh escalation in violence”.
Use of sophisticated weaponry like rocket launchers is shocking and completely unheard of, he said in a post on X.
“Even after 16 months of the conflict, the Centre has no hold over the situation and is allowing the state government to continue despite its complicity and negligence in the conflict,” Venugopal said.
“PM Modi, meanwhile, pretends as if Manipur is not a part of India. He thinks it is more suitable for him to intervene in the Russia-Ukraine conflict while being a complete failure in stopping the mindless violence in Manipur,” the Congress leader said.
The Centre’s hands-off approach to Manipur is extremely dangerous and points to their tacit support to this violence, Venugopal said.
“We demand the immediate dismissal of the Manipur CM, a complete crackdown by the Centre on all insurgents and a speedy conclusion of the Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the ongoing violence,” he said.
Venugopal said there is an urgent need for peace and normality in Manipur.
“We appeal to all stakeholders involved to take strong steps to end violence and explore a path towards normalcy,” the Congress leader said.
Clashes between Meitei and Kukis has left over 200 people dead and thousands homeless since May last year.
