Chidambaram’s Jibe At PM Modi As Violence Grips Manipur Amid Nationwide Celebrations For New Parliament

Manipur witnessed gunfight between armed militants and security forces while the inaugural celebrations for the new parliament building were underway. Chidambaram slammed PM Modi for his "silence" over the situation.

In pic, a car completely gutted in fire after being set ablaze by armed militants in Manipur on Sunday.

Source : Pallav Bora

Guwahati: Congress veteran and former Union finance and home minister P Chidambaram on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the premier of the country has not uttered a word so far on the recent violence in Manipur which happens to be a state of his own country, and just to remind him, he holds the “metaphoric Sengol” in his hand. “It has been more than 3 weeks since violence broke out in Manipur. At least 75 people are dead. The Hon'ble PM has not uttered a word so far. Nor has he made an appeal for peace and harmony. Just to remind him, he holds the metaphoric Sengol in his hand,” the senior Congress leader tweeted on Sunday morning.

Just 15 minutes prior to his tweet on the Prime Minister’s silence on Manipur violence, the former Union minister in another tweet said, “Tiruvalluvar put 'righteous rule' (depicted by the Sengol) as one among four virtues of the ruler. The other three are: Welfare, compassion and protecting the weak (poor). In Kural: 546, the poet also cautioned that the ruler would be victorious only if the 'Sengol' did not bend. That is ancient wisdom for India in 2023.

It is more than 3 weeks since violence broke out in Manipur

At least 75 people are dead.

The Hon'ble PM has not uttered a word so far. Nor has he made an appeal for peace and harmony

Just to remind him, he holds the metaphoric Sengol in his hand

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 28, 2023

Tiruvalluvar put 'righteous rule' (depicted by the Sengol) as one among four virtues of the ruler

The other three are: Welfare, compassion and protecting the weak (poor)

In Kural: 546, the poet also cautioned that the ruler will be victorious only if the 'Sengol' did not bend…

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 28, 2023

Earlier in the day, Chidambaram took a jibe at Prime Minister Modi over the inauguration of the new Parliament building saying it is the latter’s “personal project”.

P Chidambaram, currently a member of the Rajya Sabha, also targetted the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for not inviting President Droupadi Murmu for the inauguration of the new Parliament House.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on Sunday as a part of the Central Vista redevelopment project.

Violence In Manipur Amid Nation-Wide Celebration Of New Parliament Building

When the entire nation was busy celebrating the inauguration of the new Parliament building, the people of the northeastern state of Manipur were trying to save themselves from getting caught up in the crossfire of a daytime gunfight between the armed militants and security forces.

 

Indian Army soldiers stand guard in a vulnerable village in Manipur to prevent the people from armed militants on Sunday. (Photo: Pallav Bora)

At dusk, at least 40 suspected Kuki militants were killed in the gunfight with the security forces.

Meanwhile, fresh incidents of large-scale violence have been reported from different parts of Manipur with several houses and other infrastructures being set on fire by armed as well as unarmed miscreants.

 

Houses burnt down by armed militants in a remote village in Manipur on Sunday. (Photo: Pallav Bora)

An Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Manipur police has been reportedly killed in a gunfight with armed militants at the Sugnu area in the Kakching district of the state. Two of his security personnel were also reportedly injured in the gunfight.

Two civilians were also killed after getting caught up in the crossfire while two others were injured.

Violence erupted in Manipur on May 3 during a “tribal solidarity march” in protest against the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.

Tension in the state had been already simmering in view of the eviction of Kuki villagers from the reserve forest lands.

The violence erupted immediately after a high court order recommended a push for granting ST status to the Meiteis, which is a majority community in the state.

Manipur Violence: At Least 78 Dead, 140 Columns Of Indian Army And Assam Rifles On Ground

Since the outbreak of the violent ethnic clashes on May 3, at least 78 people have lost their lives, while another 300 people have been injured.

Besides this, more than 2,000 houses have been torched by the armed militants, thus displacing over 35,000 people, who are still homeless.  

Owing to the internal security situation in Manipur, the state administration requisitioned the Indian Army and Assam Rifles on May 3, 2023.

As an immediate response, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles soon deployed 135 columns to diffuse the situation by carrying out active domination of sensitive and fringe areas.

At present, around 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, besides those from other paramilitary forces, have been deployed to bring back normalcy in the crisis-hit state.

The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast.