Congress alleges Manipur violence seems ‘pre-planned’, calls for President’s rule
Congress also demanded compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the violence and Rs 5 lakh for people whose houses were destroyed.
NEW DELHI- The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Manipur violence seemed “pre-planned” and demanded immediate imposition of President’s Rule in the state to help restore peace and normalcy.
Congress spokesperson and the party’s in-charge for Manipur, Bhakta Charan Das, also demanded compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the violence and Rs 5 lakh for people whose houses were destroyed.
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Addressing a press conference here, he questioned why Union Home Minister Amit Shah has not visited the violence-hit northeastern state yet and why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained silent on the issue.
“The BJP government has utterly failed to control the situation (in Manipur). It has been unable to stop the violence, unable to stop weapons from being looted or recover them, unable to rescue innocent people and unable to provide facilities to those in relief camps,” Das said.
“In this situation, we demand that President’s Rule be immediately imposed to stop these incidents of violence that are happening even now,” he said and alleged that the Centre and the state government are not working according to the Constitution.
Watch video to know, Why did Manipur burn?
If there is President’s Rule, then there will be more accountability, the Congress
Das said had law and order been there, this would have not happened. “It seems it (violence) was pre-planned” because no one from the central government is monitoring this issue, he alleged.
The Congress leader demanded immediate relief measures such as treatment of those injured and creating a safe space for people to go back to their homes.
At least 60 people were killed and over 30,000 rendered homeless in rioting which engulfed Manipur last week, even as curfew continues to be imposed in 11 districts of the state.
Das claimed that never in the history of Manipur has such conflict happened between communities.
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In March last year, the Congress leader alleged, the BJP’s “so-called double engine sarkar” formed government in Manipur with a resounding mandate from both the hills and the valley. But the two long-standing demands precipitated the current crisis — more autonomy to the Hill Areas Committee and the six Autonomous District Councils for the hill areas, and ST status for the Meiteis, he said.
“The BJP government both in the state and at the Centre betrayed the people of all communities of Manipur. No democratic process was initiated either by the Union or the state government to fulfil these demands,” he said.
“Instead conflict was triggered through undemocratic actions by the state government, including sudden evacuation of villagers from 38 villages in forest areas, the spread of violence by BJP functionaries at protest sites, and provocation from the chief minister with his arrogant utterances,” Das alleged.
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Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the 10 hill districts.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh had on Monday said that 60 people were killed, 231 injured and 1,700 houses, including religious places, burnt in the ethnic violence that has rocked the northeastern state for the past few days.
Source- PTI
