In the wake of the ongoing crisis in Manipur, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Friday vehemently criticised Union Minister Kiren Rijiju for terming the situation as “communal” and pointing fingers at the High Court’s ruling.
Speaking at the Congress Bhawan in Imphal, MPCC president K Meghachandra denounced Rijiju’s statements as provocative and unfounded, stating that they only serve to exacerbate the tensions.
Rijiju’s assertion that blaming the Central government for the crisis would be foolish was met with strong opposition from MPCC. Meghachandra argued that timely government intervention could have prevented the prolonged crisis.
The chief minister had admitted to the law and order, and intelligence failures, further proving the government’s failure to effectively address the situation, he mentioned.
Refuting Rijiju’s claim that the High Court’s ruling was the sole reason behind the crisis, he pointed out that similar incidents had not occurred in other hill districts like Ukhrul and Senapati, where the solidarity rally was also carried out.
Furthermore, he accused various Union Ministers of providing conflicting accounts of the origins of the violence, alleging that such discrepancies are attempts to divert attention away from the real issues facing Manipur.
The alleged silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 10-month-long crisis was also condemned by the MPCC president, terming it as a blatant neglect of Manipur by the Central government. Instead of engaging in conspiracy theories, immediate action should be taken up to halt the violence and restore normalcy in Manipur through meaningful dialogue with representatives from both the communities, he said.
As the Lok Sabha elections approached, Meghachandra urged the Central government to prioritise the well-being and security of Manipur’s residents over political agendas, emphasising the importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis and fostering reconciliation between the affected communities.
