The ethnic violence that broke out between members of the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur a month ago has claimed the lives of over 100 people.
Digital Desk: The Congress slammed
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday for not speaking about the Manipur situation in his radio broadcast, "Mann Ki Baat," and questioned when will he say about "unending violence" in the northeastern state.
The opposition party also demanded that an all-party delegation be allowed to visit the state.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge taking twitter said, "Narendra Modi ji, Your 'Mann ki Baat' should have first included 'Manipur ki Baat', but in vain. The situation in the border state is precarious and deeply disturbing."
He said, "You have not spoken a word. You have not chaired a single meeting. You have yet not met an all-party delegation. Looks like your Govt does not consider Manipur as a part of India. This is unacceptable."
"Your Govt is 'Asleep at the wheel' while the state burns. Follow the 'Raj Dharma' – Act firm on all elements that disturb the peace. Restore normalcy by taking citizen groups in confidence. Allow an all-party delegation to visit the state," Kharge added.
In addition to criticising the prime minister's "continuing silence," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also hit out at the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for issuing an appeal for peace in Manipur "after 45 days" and asked if the prime minister had "outsourced" the appeal to the organisation that "moulded him".
"So, one more Mann ki Baat, but Maun (silence) on Manipur. The prime minister congratulated himself on India's excellent disaster management abilities. What about the humanitarian disaster that Manipur is currently experiencing, which is entirely man-made (in actuality, self-inflicted)?
Ramesh twitted, "Still no appeal for peace from him. There is a non-auditable
PM-CARES Fund but does the PM even care for Manipur is the real question,"
P Chidambaram, a senior member of the Congress, also took a dig at the prime minister, claiming that he is "too busy" to find the time for a visit to Manipur.
"I have a practical suggestion: the PM's special aircraft can make an unscheduled stop at Imphal on the way to Washington giving the Hon'ble PM an opportunity to 'visit' Manipur. That way, he can effectively silence all the opposition to him," Chidambaram said on Twitter.
Ramesh claimed that after 45 days of "unending violence," the Sangh had finally made a public appeal for peace and unity in Manipur, which specifically mentioned both the Sangh and the prime minister.
"The RSS' well-known duplicity is in full display as its divisive ideology and polarising activities are changing the very nature of a diverse NorthEast, of which Manipur is one tragic example," he claimed.
"But what about its renowned former Pracharak, who now oversees the state's and the Center's administrative apparatus?
Ramesh questioned, "Has he outsourced the public appeal to the organisation that moulded him?"
"When will Mr Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, say something, do something on Manipur? Is he only a Prachar Mantri and not Pradhan Mantri," Ramesh asked on Twitter.
The RSS on Sunday condemned the ongoing violence in Manipur and urged the government, local authorities, police, security forces, and central agencies to do everything within their power to bring about instant peace.
The general secretary of the RSS, Dattatreya Hosabale, emphasised in a statement that there is no place for hatred and violence in a democratic system. He asserted that to resolve the current situation and establish peace, all sides must address the lack of trust that led to it.
The ethnic violence that broke out between members of the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur a month ago has claimed the lives of over 100 people.
On Saturday, ten Manipur opposition parties, led by the Congress, questioned Prime Minister Modi's "silence" on the situation in Manipur and urged him to meet with them and appeal for peace.
After a "Tribal Solidarity March" was arranged in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's desire for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, fighting first started on May 3.
The majority of Meiteis, who constitute around 53% of Manipur's population, reside in the Imphal Valley. Another 40% of the population is made up of the Naga and Kuki tribes, who live in the hill districts.
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