Jairam Ramesh slams Manipur CM's lack of support, questions Home Minister's role in state crisis
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday lashed out at the current situation in Manipur, and brought to focus the lack of support for Chief Minister Biren Singh and also questioned the role of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the state's crisis.
Ramesh pointed out that a recent meeting called by the Chief Minister for NDA MLAs in Imphal saw only 26 members attend, despite the state having 60 MLAs.
Ramesh took to X to share his concerns, stating, "The Manipur Assembly has 60 MLAs. Last night, the CM of Manipur called a meeting in Imphal of all MLAs belonging to the NDA. Other than him, only 26 showed up. Of these 26, 4 belong to the NPP whose National President has already written to the BJP National President withdrawing support to the present CM." He continued, "The writing on the wall is clear. But is the grand sutradhar of Manipur - the Union Home Minister, to whom the PM has abdicated and outsourced all responsibility for the state - reading it? How long will the excruciating agony of the people of Manipur continue like this?"
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram demanded that Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh be removed "immediately."
He criticised the government for the deployment of 5,000 additional central armed police personnel amid the ongoing tensions in Manipur over the killing of six innocent people including women and children. Chidambaram said that there was a need to acknowledge Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh to be the cause of this crisis while demanding that he be removed "immediately."
The Meitei, Kuki-Zo and the Naga can live together in one state only if they have regional autonomy, he added. The former Union Minister also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that it would be statesmanship if PM Modi visited Manipur and addressed their problems.
"Rushing 5,000 more central armed police jawans is not the answer to the Manipur crisis. It is more wisdom: acknowledging that Mr Biren Singh, the chief minister, is the cause of the crisis and removing him immediately. It is more understood: that the Meitei, the Kuki-Zo and the Naga can live together in one State only if they have genuine regional autonomy. It is more statesmanship: for the Hon'ble PM to give up his obstinacy, visit Manipur, and speak to the people of Manipur with humility and learn first-hand their grievances and aspirations," P Chidambaram said.
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.
The resolution also said that a mass operation must be initiated within seven days against the Kuki militants allegedly responsible for the killing of six people including women and children in Jiribam.
It also demanded the transfer of three key cases to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that are linked to the death of one woman who was burnt, the killing of six innocent civilians, and the killing of a woman farmer. The MLAs in their resolution decided to declare Kuki militants responsible for the killings of six innocent people including women and children to be declared an "unlawful organisation" within seven days.
"If the above resolutions taken are not implemented within the specified period, all the NDA Legislators will decide the future course of action in consultation with the people of the State," the resolution released by the Chief Minister's Secretariat read while ensuring that central and state government would take steps to ensure normalcy in Manipur.
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.The suspension will continue till 5:15 pm on Wednesday, November 20.
