Never Told US To Learn From Us: Congress MP Manish Tewari On Eric Garcetti's Manipur Violence Comment

Eric Garcetti said that the issue is more a human concern than a strategic one adding one need not be an Indian to care when "children or individuals die in this sort of violence".

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Friday slammed US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti for his comments on the ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur. “As far as the US Ambassador is concerned, the country faces several challenges but India has never appreciated any statement for its internal matters,” Tewari said. Referring to the rampant issue of gun violence in the United States, the Congress MP said, “We never told the US to learn from us as to how to rein that in. The US faces riots over racism. We never told them that we will lecture them.” 

“Perhaps it is important for the new Ambassador to take cognisance of the history of India-US relations," he added. 

On Thursday, Garcetti spoke about the ethnic violence in Manipur that has killed over a hundred people in the northeastern state. The US diplomat said that the issue is more a human concern than a strategic one. He said one need not be an Indian to care when "children or individuals die in this sort of violence". 

He said that the United States is ready to assist in the peace efforts if asked and added that more investment can be brought into Manipur if peace continues in the region. 

"I don't think it's about strategic concerns, it's about human concerns. You don't have to be an Indian to care when children or individuals die in this sort of violence. We know peace as a precedent for so many good things,” Garcetti said on Thursday.  

“There has been so much progress in the Northeast and the East...We stand ready to assist in any way if asked. We know it's an Indian matter and we pray for that peace and that it may come quickly. Because we can bring more collaboration, more projects, more investment if that peace is in place," Garcetti said.

Tewari also criticised the government’s handling of the crisis in the state and said that the issue will be raised in the Parliament. 

"What is happening in Manipur is tragic. The PM should have gone there and spoken up much earlier. HM should have visited the state continuously until normalcy returns there...We will raise this issue in the Parliament,” he said. 

Manipur has been on the boil since May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was taken out in the hill districts to oppose Meiteis reservation under the Scheduled Tribes list by tribal groups including the Kuki community.