Congress on Monday demanded a visit by an all-party delegation to strife-torn Manipur as a signal to people there that the country share their anguish and pain while asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and do a 'Manipur ki Baat' besides visiting the state.
The party also asked why the PM has not visited Manipur when he has rightly visited the train accident site of Odisha's Balasore.
Addressing a press conference here along with Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik and Bhakta Charan Das, General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the situation in Manipur where violence has started on May 3 is a "national issue" and questioned why Home Minister Amit Shah's appeal for peace has completely failed.
"We have two demands. The Prime Minister has done the 100th episode of Mann ki Baat. At least he should do one 'Manipur ki Baat'. He has to break his silence on Manipur and send a message of peace and assure people of Manipur that the government would do everything to restore peace, normalcy and harmony," he said.
Ramesh also demanded that an all-party delegation should be allowed to go to Manipur to visit all the affected areas and meet all stakeholders and there is "no substitute" for it. Insisting that Modi should visit Manipur, he said if he can go to Basalore, why cannot he visit Manipur.
Congress General Secretary Wasnik said NDA ministers who were making a beeline of north-eastern states have not visited Manipur after violence erupted. "When the Home Minister went, it was after 25 days. The question, however, is why is the Prime Minister silent," he said.
Questioning the government's strategy, he said it took 42 days to announce a peace committee. In relief camps, he claimed, essential items are not available, and wherever it is available, people have to pay through the roof.
Referring to the shortage of food grains in camps, Wasnik recalled how food grains were airlifted to Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the tsunami in December 2004. He also expressed concern over looted firearms, which are yet to be returned.
"The number of displaced people is more than one lakh with at least 50,000 people in 349 relief camps. The official death toll is 119. Many people are still missing and their whereabouts are not known. A number of deceased are still in the mortuary of the government hospital and their bodies not handed over to their families. The internet ban has been extended. None of the actions taken by the state government or the Union government have inspired confidence in the people of Manipur," Wasnik said.
Congress Manipur in-charge Das said the state continues to burn two weeks after Shah's visit. "Violence and arson continues in all peripheral areas where the two communities affected by the ethnic violence live. There is cross-firing in multiple districts. The National Highways NH-2 and NH-37 are still blocked with a serious crisis of non-availability of essential commodities," he said.