AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressing deep concern over the brutal assault and torture of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president and MLA K Meghachandra.
The incident reportedly occurred during a meeting held on January 24 at the heavily guarded Kangla Fort in Imphal.
According to the letter, the meeting, attended by ministers, MPs, and MLAs, witnessed a shocking act of violence despite the significant presence of intelligence personnel, central and state security forces.
The letter highlighted that many attendees were allegedly compelled and coerced to participate by a group, raising serious questions about the security apparatus’s effectiveness.
Kharge, in the letter, also criticised the chief minister and the Home Ministry for their lack of response, emphasising that the incident occurred in a fortified location, pointing to a serious breakdown in the security and administrative machinery.
He further criticised the Prime Minister’s apparent silence on the matter, suggesting that this silence seems to be the prevailing strategy from all key stakeholders at both the state and central levels.
Drawing attention to his own visit to Manipur during the inaugural rally of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he echoed the observations made by Rahul Gandhi during his visits in June 2023 and the recent yatra, noting the bitter divisions within Manipuri society and the lack of concrete steps towards peace, relief, and justice for those affected by the violence since May 3, 2023.
“All these events point to a complete collapse of the administration in Manipur. The continuing silence and inaction of the Prime Minister is an injustice to the people of Manipur,” it stated.
In his letter, the AICC president expressed serious concerns over what he perceives as a complete collapse of the administration in Manipur and stated, “Governments come and go, but it is the responsibility of constitutional functionaries to ensure that democratic structures, institutions and processes are protected and preserved.”
Reminding that the nation recently celebrated its 75th Republic Day and Manipur is an integral part of the Republic, he urged the Union Home Minister to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in this crucial and diverse part of the country.