Manipur ‘crisis’ is result of BJP’s divisive politics: Cong

New Delhi: Amidst the fresh violence in Manipur, a delegation of Congress led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu and sought her intervention in helping bring normalcy in violence-hit Manipur.

The Congress delegation also called for the constitution of a high-level inquiry commission headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge to probe the incident.

The party delegation handed over a 12-point charter of demands to be taken immediately to help bring peace and normalcy in the north-eastern state.

Stepping up its attack on the BJP, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “Manipur ‘crisis’ is the result of the ruling dispensation’s ‘divisive’ politics in the state. It is also the result of the intelligence failure of the state government.”

The delegation that met the President included former Manipur CM Okram Ibobi, state Congress chief K Meghachandra, state in-charge Bhakta Charan Das and senior party leader KC Venugopal.

Referring to the memorandum, Ramesh said, “We have 12 demands for immediate action to make firm and sustained efforts to control violence in every part of the state for the restoration of peace, harmony and normalcy.”

Ramesh further added that Manipur Congress has sought time from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is currently in Imphal, to meet him on Wednesday and apprise him about the situation in the state.

“It has never happened in the history of Manipur. I don’t know what is the ‘hidden agenda’ of both the state government as well as the Modi government. We have submitted a memorandum to the President urging her to save Manipur,” Ibobi said, adding, “Where is ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’? Why is the PM silent?”

“There were several lapses in the management of the situation at the early stages of violence, leading to the present imbroglio. Now, it is not the time to point fingers, but to act. If the suggestions above are implemented in earnest, peace can perhaps be restored once again,” the Congress memorandum to the President said. “The Congress party is a responsible political party and is ever ready to lend support to any initiative to restore peace, normalcy and harmony in the state of Manipur,” it further said.

They also called for firm and sustained efforts must be made to control violence in every part of the state for the immediate restoration of peace, harmony, and normalcy, and urged the President to ask the central government to immediately take all possible measures to control and confine all militant groups and ensure that all armed civilian groups be stopped forthwith by taking appropriate action.