New Delhi: The Congress has appreciated the recent measures announced by Home Minister Amit Shah to restore normalcy in Manipur. However, the party has raised concerns about the delay in taking action and questioned why the state was allowed to experience unrest for an entire month, news agency PTI reported.
During his visit to Imphal, Shah revealed that a judicial committee led by a retired chief justice of the high court would soon be established to investigate the violent clashes, which have resulted in the loss of more than 80 lives. Additionally, he announced the formation of a peace committee, chaired by Governor Anusuiya Uikey, which would include representatives from all political parties, as well as the Kuki and Meitei communities and social organizations. Furthermore, Shah disclosed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would conduct a probe into the FIRs pertaining to five criminal conspiracies and a general conspiracy connected to the Manipur violence.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary for communications, expressed his support for Shah's initiatives to restore normalcy in Manipur. However, he questioned why these actions were not taken earlier and criticized the Modi government for allowing the situation to deteriorate for a month. Ramesh raised concerns about the value placed on Manipuri votes and the apparent disregard for Manipuri's lives.
"Why couldn't he have done this weeks ago? Why did the Modi government let Manipur burn for a month? Are only Manipuri votes valuable and Manipuri lives dispensable," he asked on Twitter.
Ramesh also blamed the divisive politics of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the acts of the BJP state government, and the lack of action from the central government as the reasons behind Manipur's current division. He emphasized that the situation in Manipur holds implications for the entire Northeast region. The Congress party accused the BJP of playing a role in exacerbating the crisis in Manipur and questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not appealed for peace to the people of the state. Additionally, they criticized Shah for delaying his visit to the violence-stricken region.
During his visit, Shah personally inspected relief camps and engaged in discussions with various civil groups representing the Kuki and Meitei communities. He stated that leaders from both communities, as well as other representatives from civil society, assured him of their commitment to healing wounds and resolving misunderstandings.