New Delhi: Alleging the government of India is responsible for the tragedy in Manipur, the Congress on Wednesday asserted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should be sacked for his "total failure" in reining in the violence.
The opposition party also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the violent-hit state, saying he is more concerned about crises and conflicts in other parts of the world than in his own country.
"A state of this country has been burning for the last 16 months and the Prime Minister of this country does not have even a minute to go to Manipur," Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said at a joint press conference with the party's Manipur Congress chief K Meghachandra, Inner Manipur MP A Bimol Akoijam and AICC in-charge of Manipur Girish Chodankar.
"I am proud of the fact that my leader Rahul Gandhi has gone to Manipur thrice and has made an appeal for peace. Where is the PM? Why should I not say that there should be an inquiry on the PM, PMO. Why should I not say that the home minister be sacked, he has been a total failure," Shrinate said.
What has stopped the Prime Minister from visiting Manipur? she asked.
"The former Governor (Anusuiya Uikey) has said that the people of Manipur are still waiting for Prime Minister Modi. The Prime Minister has visited various countries, but somehow he doesn't find the time to visit Manipur," the Congress leader said.
Claiming that a "new game" has started in Manipur, Shrinate said Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who was till now a "puppet of Delhi", is now pretending to raise voice for the state.
"The truth is that Manipur continued to burn under the nose of the Chief Minister of Manipur and you remained a puppet of Delhi. The reality of the Chief Minister cannot be hidden by acting," she said.
Shrinate said 16 months have passed and Manipur is still "burning" with arson, murders, looting taking place in the violence-hit state. She said 11 to 12 people have died in the last 10 days, RPG is now being waved in Manipur and bombs are dropped on the villages using drones.
"A former chief minister's house is attacked with a rocket. Manipur Governor's house is being pelted with stones. Security forces are attacked and attempts are made to snatch their weapons. Curfew has been imposed in many districts of Manipur, internet is banned, youth are on the streets and all exams in Manipur have been postponed," Shrinate said.
The former Governor of Manipur stated that the situation is very serious, hence she has been removed and a half-time Governor has been appointed, she added.
Akoijam said an incident like what is happening in Manipur has never occurred in post-independence India.
"The constitutional mechanism has completely collapsed 60,000 people have been displaced and the situation is akin to a partition. Our Prime Minister is more concerned about crises and conflicts in other parts of the world than in his own country. Perhaps he doesn't even consider Manipur a part of the country," the Inner Manipur MP alleged.
This is not just violence and a human tragedy but it is an institutional and constitutional collapse, Akoijam said. What is going on in the Prime Minister's mind, is it some kind of a "psychological breakdown", he said.
"The Government of India is solely responsible for the subversion of the Constitution and the tragedy," he alleged.
Meghachandra said there has been unprecedented turmoil in Manipur since May 3, 2023, and after September 1, the magnitude of the violence has escalated.
"The use of highly sophisticated weapons, drones, RPGs and bombings in various places has resulted in many civilian deaths, while many others have been hospitalized. Numerous students have protested against the government," he said.
Since September 1, unrest has intensified and people are using highly sophisticated weapons, the Manipur Congress chief said.
"More than 60,000 people are in relief camps and hundreds have been killed, but the Prime Minister remains unconcerned about Manipur, which is part of his own country and its people. We are truly upset with his attitude toward the people of Manipur," he said.
"We have only two national highways, which are the lifelines for people and they have been blocked since May 2023. People are facing inflation, which stands at 10.7 per cent, the highest in the country," he added.
What is the Central government's roadmap to resolve the issue? Meghachandra asked.
Meanwhile, a day after the students clashed with the security forces during their march to the Raj Bhavan, Manipur Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya left Imphal for Guwahati.
The state government on Tuesday suspended internet services in the entire state for five days amid intensified agitation by the students. Clashes between Meitei and Kukis has left over 200 people dead and thousands homeless since May last year.
