‘Manipur relief camps in pathetic condition’: INDIA MPs to governor; Cong’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ dig at PM Modi

A delegation of Opposition INDIA bloc alliance MPs, who called on Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan, claimed in their memorandum that the condition of relief camps “is pathetic – to say the least”, and special care needs to be taken for the children staying on a priority basis.

They submitted the memorandum to the governor on their observations after visiting the ethnic violence-hit state.

“The failure of both the Central and state government to protect the lives and properties of the people of the two communities is apparent from the figures of more than 140 deaths, more than 500 injuries, burning of more than 5,000 houses and internal displacement of more than 60,000 people,” the delegation said in the memorandum.

“From the reports of incessant firing and arson of houses in the last few days, it is established beyond doubt that the state machinery has completely failed to control the situation for the last almost three months,” they claimed.

The Opposition delegation of 21 MPs arrived in Manipur on Saturday to assess the ground situation and meet victims of the three-month ethnic riots in the state. On the first day of their two-day whirlwind tour, they visited several relief camps in Imphal, Moirang in Bishnupur district and Churachandpur and met victims of ethnic clashes.

“Silence of Hon’ble Prime Minister shows his brazen indifference to the violence in Manipur,” the memorandum reads.

‘If Manipur conflict is not resolved soon…’: Adhir Ranjan Addressing reporters outside Raj Bhavan after the meeting, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asserted that if the Manipur ethnic conflict is not resolved soon, it may create security problems for the country.

The Congress leader said, “The governor heard our observations and agreed to those. She expressed sorrow over the incidents of violence and suggested that an all-party delegation should visit Manipur to talk to people to remove mistrust among communities.”

Chowdhury said that the visiting MPs will present their observations on Manipur in Parliament. “We have requested a discussion on Manipur in Parliament as the situation is deteriorating every day,” he said.

Sharing the memorandum on Twitter, senior Congress leader said, “The anger, anxiety, anguish, pain and sorrow of the people of Manipur seem to make absolutely no difference to the Prime Minister. While he is busy listening to his own voice and forcing down his ‘Mann ki Baat’ on crores of Indians, the 21 MP delegation of Team INDIA is talking about Manipur ki Baat with the Governor of Manipur. Here’s their memorandum to the Governor.”

Besides Chowdhury and Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, the delegation includes TMC’s Sushmita Dev, JMM’s Mahua Maji, DMK’s Kanimozhi, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N K Premachandran of RSP, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Aneel Prasad Hegde (JD-U), CPI’s P Sandosh Kumar and CPI(M)’s A A Rahim among others.

Violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.