By – Prakarsh Kastwar
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress chairman, urged Amit Shah to take immediate steps to restore democracy and the rule of law in Manipur.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed “grave concern” over the situation in Manipur in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “continuing silence and inaction” is an injustice to the people of the northeastern state.
Kharge wrote to Shah pleading with him to act quickly to restore democracy and the rule of law to Manipur.
“I’m writing to you about an extremely serious matter. “It has been almost nine months since Manipur erupted in violence, and the situation has only gotten worse,” he asserted.
Kharge described recent developments in the state, saying that ministers/MPs/MLAs met on January 24 at Imphal’s old Kangla Fort, which is tightly guarded by central and state security forces.
He said that an armed group forced and coerced many of the meeting’s attendees.
In addition to that, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee President and MLA from Wangkhem, Keisham Meghachandra was assaulted and tortured during this meeting,” Kharge stated.
This tragic occurrence occurred despite the substantial presence of central and security forces, as well as intelligence personnel, he stated.
Kharge stated that Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and the home ministry had taken no action in response to this deeply disturbing subversion of democratic procedures by a non-state actor.
“It is sad that the prime minister’s eloquent quiet when it comes to Manipur seems to be an accepted strategy from all important stakeholders in both the state and the Centre,” he said.
Kharge stated that he had visited Manipur on January 14 for the opening rally of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
“What I witnessed was similar to what Rahul Gandhi noted in his previous trips to Manipur on 29th and 30th June, 2023 and recently again during the yatra that the Manipuri society stays bitterly divided and no concrete steps have been taken towards peace, relief and justice for those who remain impacted from the aftermath of the violence in the state since May 3 2023,” said the Congress leader.
The Congress chairman stated that all of these events led to the administration’s “complete collapse” in Manipur.
“The continuing absence of action and silence of the prime minister is an injustice to the people of Manipur,” he stated.
Governments come and go, but constitutional functionaries must protect and preserve democratic structures, institutions, and procedures, Kharge stated in his letter to Shah.
“Our country recently commemorated the 75th Republic Day. Manipur is an essential component of our Republic, and I urge you to take immediate action to restore democracy and the rule of law in a vital and valuable portion of our wonderfully diversified country,” he added.
The violence, which cost over 180 lives, broke out on May 3 last year after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was held in the hill areas to protest the Meitei community’s desire for Scheduled Tribe (ST) designation.
Meiteis make up roughly 53% of Manipur’s population and dwell primarily in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, make up 40% and live principally in the hill regions.