'People have lost confidence in both PM and CM': Kharge urges President Murmu's intervention in Manipur situation

New Delhi: Amid the continued tension and unrest in Manipur, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday wrote a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, wherein he blamed the the "inordinate inaction" of both Centre and state governments towards restoring peace, and called for her intervention to ensure the protection of the lives and properties of the people of the state.

Kharge in his letter emphasised that both the central and state governments have failed to restore peace and normalcy in the state adding that the people of the state have lost confidence in both governments.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted Kharge's letter on X, and said, "@INCIndiaPresident @kharge ji has just written to the President of India on the deteriorating situation in Manipur and the Union Govt's abysmal failure there over the last eighteen months."
Kharge in the letter said that more the 300 people have lost their last in Manipur for the last 18 months and nearly a lakh of the human population has been displaced.

"The country has been inflicted with a grave tragedy of extraordinary proportions due to the unprecedented turmoil in Manipur for the last 18 months, the ongoing turmoil has taken more than 300 human lives, including women, children and even small babies. It has internally displaced nearly a lakh of the human population rendering them homeless and forcing them to live in different relief camps. The agony of the people continues unabated," the letter said.

Expressing concern over the deteriorating living conditions of the people of the state, the Congress chief added, "It has affected the economy of the state and the living conditions of its people with retail inflation going up to 10%. This has made the lives of the people of Manipur extremely difficult. Businesses are closed down, jobs are getting lost, professionals have left their own homes, essential food items, medicines, and essential commodities are in scarcity, national highways have been blocked since May of 2023, schools and educational institutions are shut down, and internally displaced persons are dying of suicide in relief camps. Manipur and its people are suffering silently, which in turn has taken a huge toll on the mental health of the entire population."
"As both the Union Government and the State Government of Manipur have completely failed in restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur during the last 18 months, the people of the state have apparently lost confidence in both the governments and reasonably so. With every passing day, the people of Manipur are becoming insecure on their own soil - their home turf having witnessed their infants, babies, children and women getting mercilessly killed. With no succour coming from the governments involved, they have been finding themselves completely isolated and helpless for more than 540 days now," the letter added.

Kharge further highlighted that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has visited Manipur three times in the last 18 months whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not visited even once.

"Indeed, they have lost their faith in the Prime Minister of India and the Chief Minister of the State to protect their lives and properties. You may be aware that since May 2023 despite the demand of the people of Manipur, the Prime Minister has not visited the state. On the other hand, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha has been in Manipur thrice in the last 18 months and I, myself, have visited the state in this period. The refusal of the Prime Minister to visit Manipur is beyond anybody's understanding," he wrote in the letter.

"I and my Party strongly believe that the deliberate acts of omission and the commission, as indeed inordinate inaction on the part of both the central and state governments, have resulted in complete lawlessness, absence of the rule of law, violations of human rights, compromise of national security and suppression of fundamental rights of citizens of our country. It also amounts to the destruction of the Right to Life with dignity under Article 19 of the Constitution," the letter added.

He urged the intervention of President Murmu into the matter as the "custodian of the Constitution" to uphold the constitutional propriety and ensure the protection of the lives and properties of the people of Manipur, as enshrined in the Constitution.

"I consider that it has become constitutionally imperative on the part of yourself, Hon'ble Madam, as the President of the Republic of India and the custodian of our Constitution to uphold the constitutional propriety and immediately intervene to ensure the protection of lives and properties of our own citizens in Manipur, as enshrined in the Constitution. I am confident that, through your intervention of your esteemed Office, the people of Manipur will again live peacefully in their homes in security with dignity," Kharge said in the letter.

Meanwhile, several Manipur MLAs on Monday passed a resolution listing their demands including asking the central government to review the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in the state.
On Monday, the Manipur government announced an extension of the temporary suspension of internet and mobile data services in the territorial jurisdiction of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching, Kangpokpi, Thoubal and Churachandpur in the wake of fresh tensions.
The suspension will continue till 5:15 pm on Wednesday, November 20.