New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP government on Monday, raising serious concerns about the situation in Manipur. He said, "It has been nine months during which unabated violence has devastated innumerable lives but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not had the time to visit the state".
The Congress leader accused the BJP's 'double engine' government of delivering several blows to the people of Manipur. The Congress chief posted on X, saying, "It has been 9 months since the unabated violence has devastated innumerable lives in Manipur, but PM Modi hasn’t had an hour to visit the state. Why? He last visited Manipur in February 2022, only to campaign for elections, and now has left the people of Manipur to fend for themselves".
Kharge further added, that since May 4, 2023, Manipur has been grappling with ethnic violence that erupted after a tribal solidarity march protested against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. This has led to a stark crisis, with more than 200 casualties and 60,000 people displaced. Approximately 50,000 individuals are languishing in relief camps, facing despicable conditions marked by insufficient medical facilities and food shortages.
Kharge also alleged complete apathy and neglect towards women and children by the BJP, pointing to the human cost of the ongoing violence. "Reports suggest that over 80 people have died in camps in Churachandpur alone due to trauma, malnutrition, and illness. The Imphal camps are no better", he said.
The Congress President also cited incidents where police trainees of different communities are shooting at each other. He alluded to an incident on January 24, saying, "We witnessed, how an armed group coerced MPs/MLAs to attend a meeting at heavily guarded Kangla Fort where Manipur Congress president was brutally assaulted and tortured".
Notably, Kharge expressed dissatisfaction with the PM's assurances in Parliament in August 2023, stating that they now reverberate hollow. Congress also accused the PM of maintaining total silence on the crisis
"There seems to be no sign of normalcy or peace in Manipur", he remarked. The opposition party's attack had come a day after Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met Home Minister Amit Shah.
Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
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