Protest over ethnic violence in Manipur.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: Alleging that both the Centre and the state government have chosen the path of non-intervention, 10 Opposition parties in Manipur on Friday asked why no "meaningful" peace talks with stakeholders are in sight yet to end the more than five-month long violence.
"Rather they are trying to sideline the main reasons behind the crisis by taking recourse to the theory of conspiracy by outside militant organisations with intent to assault India. Finding a solution by correctly analysing the causes behind the crisis requires no emphasis. It is high time for the Central and the State authorities to engage in a peace process to bring normalcy to the state," the 10 parties said in a memorandum submitted to Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey.
Besides the main Opposition Congress, the parties which signed the memorandum are JD(U), Trinamool Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena (UBT).
Led by veteran Congress leader and former Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh, the workers of the parties took out a march to Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Friday but were stopped by police and other security forces from entering Raj Bhavan.
The parties also alleged that the facilities provided for the displaced people living in the relief camps are inadequate while bodies of several persons were lying in the mortuaries of the hospitals.
They said that due to the failure of the government to find a solution to the conflict, many civil society organisations are taking to agitations. "The government is imposing various prohibitory orders in order to prevent the citizens from exercising their democratic rights, like freedom of speech, freedom of Assembly and constructive criticism of the government."
The parties said that more than 175 people have died, over 2,000 people injured, more than 5,000 houses burnt down and over 50,000 others have been displaced by the violence since May 3. They further said several religious centres including churches and temples have been burnt down or vandalised during the clashes. They sought the Governor's intervention to find a solution to the conflict through dialogue.