Manipur strife: INDIA bloc MPs submit memorandum to Guv; flay PM Modi for 'silence'

On the second and final day of their visit to strife-torn Manipur, INDIA bloc delegation of 21 MPs met and urged Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to restore peace in the northeastern state. In a memorandum submitted to her, they demanded urgent rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected people to bring peace and harmony to the state.

Imphal (Manipur): The 21-member MPs' delegation of Opposition bloc INDIA, who were on the second and final day of their visit to the violence-hit Manipur, on Sunday accused the Centre of failing to control the continuing ethnic violence in the northeastern state unabatedly for several months now. They questioned the rationale behind what they described as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's purported silence on the vexed issue.

The Opposition MPs met and submitted a memorandum to Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey in Imphal on Sunday and underscored the need for immediate rehabilitation and resettlement of the riot-hit people. They wanted urgent steps to be made to prevent incessant firing and arson so as to bring peace and order to the troubled state.

The INDIA bloc MPs said that there was mistrust and anger between different communities in the State, which was being further accentuated by baseless rumours that were fueling the strife due to the ongoing internet ban for over three months. They requested the Governor to brief PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the prevailing situation in the state.

The MPs' delegation, in their memorandum, blamed both the Centre and the State governments for the suffering of the people of Manipur for no fault of their. They said that the Governor should report to the Centre about the complete breakdown of law and order in Manipur requesting it to intervene in the deteriorating situation in Manipur.

The Opposition MPs expressed concern that more than 140 deaths and over 160 deaths as per official records took place in the violence that has been going on in Manipur and it has led to the burning of about 5,000 houses and the displacement of over 60,000 people.

The visiting delegation of Opposition leaders from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) visited the violence-hit areas and relief camps on Saturday and Sunday in Manipur which has been seeing violent ethnic strife since May 4. Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev and other members of the delegation said the situation in Manipur was grave and it was being widely reported in the media.

On Saturday, the Opposition delegation visited four relief camps and enquired from the displaced persons about their problems. Earlier this week, the Opposition members in Parliament disrupted proceedings demanding a statement by the PM on the Manipur issue. On the other hand, the BJP leaders said that the Centre was ready for a discussion on Manipur in Parliament but the Opposition has been 'running away'.