Ten Opposition parties question PM Modi's silence on violence in Manipur

Former Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said the Prime Minister should 'make an appeal or at least a tweet' on the situation in the state

Ten Opposition parties, including Congress, JD(U), Trinamool Congress and AAP, on Saturday took exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on Manipur violence and his reluctance in giving them time for a meeting.

The leaders from Manipur advised Modi to follow the footsteps of his predecessor A B Vajpayee, who had met an all-party delegation from Manipur in June 2001 and MLAs and MPs the next month as well as issue an appeal for peace.

State party chiefs and representatives of Congress, JD(U), Trinamool, AAP, CPI, CPI(M), Forward Bloc, RSP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP have approached Modi for time on June 10 but leaders said they were yet to get time from the Prime Minister. They also demanded Modi break his silence on Manipur.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh told a press conference, which was attended by the leaders of Manipur party units, that the delegation hopes that Modi gives them time before he leaves for the United States next week.

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Ramesh alleged, “the Prime Minister speaks on everything under the sun. He is going to lead the world to do yoga on June 21. But he does not have the time to meet or speak or express something on Manipur violence. Of course, it reflects the failure of governance and perverse mindset.”

Not just Manipur, he said, the Prime Minister is aso silent on several issues like unemployment, hardship faced by people due to demonetisation. He also said next Monday marks the third year of Modi’s “notorious” statement “no one has intruded into India” that gave a “clean chit” to China.

On Manipur, he said there is “no hope” of the state government to control the situation and it has failed completely. Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state but there was no improvement in the situation in the state, he said.

Former Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh also called for the Prime Minister should “make an appeal or at least a tweet” on the situation in the state.

“We want peace. We have not come here (Delhi) to talk politics or take political advantage. Normalcy should be restored at the earliest. In 2001, the BJP was in power and Vajpayee met a delegation,” Singh, a three-time Chief Minister, said, adding that Modi could also do the same.

Meanwhile, in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, Sena (UBT) said while Hindus are dying in the attacks orchestrated by Kuki militants, the "superpower" (a reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party) championing "so-called Hindutva" has shut its eyes. Aren't Hindus from Manipur Hindus, it asked. "According to the ruling party, there is a double-engine government in Manipur. The BJP claims that if there is a government of one party, which means the BJP, at the state as well at the Centre, then governance and administration can be run in an effective manner," it said.

"So why has the double engine government failed there (in Manipur) and peace could not still be established in the state?" the party asked.

(With agency inputs)