Manipur crisis: Switzerland of India is burning, crisis has deepened, says CPM leader Hannan Mollah

Former MP and CPM Central Committee member Hannan Mollah said the Switzerland of India was burning and the government was totally unconcerned as the crisis deepened in Manipur.

New Delhi: Former MP and CPM Central Committee member Hannan Mollah in an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat said the Switzerland of India was burning and the government was totally unconcerned as the crisis deepened in Manipur.

"Now it is, too, late. The Switzerland of India is burning. More than 100 people were killed. Everyone knows and people were complaining that the Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh and BJP leaders were responsible for this. It was also known to all that the BJP used to organise ethnic or communal riots to reap political benefits. When the BJP came to power in Manipur, they created a division between Meiti and Kuki tribes. Ethnic quarrels or dividing the people was the policy of the BJP. It was the BJP's creation."

"What is seen in Manipur was that after the huge loss of lives and property, the government was least bothered about such things. Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state, which was just political tourism. After so many killings in Manipur, the holding of a meeting in New Delhi was a farcical exercise. It was just like putting coffins on bodies in Manipur," Mollah added.

"The chasm between Meiti and Kuki tribes has been created. The crisis has deepened. A lot of time was wasted. The Prime Minister was silent on the issue. After all, it is a national crisis," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, members of opposition parties from Manipur staged a peaceful protest at Rajghat against the ongoing violence in Manipur. The leaders from 10 opposition parties had come to New Delhi from Maniour with the aim to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express their concern. "But the Prime Minister did not meet us. Today, we had a peaceful demonstration at Rajghat appealing to the government to ensure peace in Manipur," Mollah said. He said that on Sunday all the opposition parties from Manipur will also organise a peace convention in New Delhi.