Guwahati, Nov 18 /–/ Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi has accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of underestimating the severity of the situation in Manipur and failing to understand the gravity of the ethnic conflict even after a year and half since the northeastern state has been on the boil.
In a video message, Gogoi blamed the central government for “adopting a step-motherly attitude towards Manipur, and refusing to act decisively to control the volatile situation” in the state.
Notably, Manipur has been on edge since May 2023 owing to ethnic strife between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei community and the hill-dwelling Kuki-Zo groups.
“It has been more than a year since the conflict in Manipur broke out, and still, Prime Minister Modi refuses to act decisively. There seems to be a step-motherly attitude in the corridors of power in New Delhi. They think that Manipur is a small state, and the conflict is an ordinary conflict between two communities. They simply do not have an understanding of the gravity of the situation,” the Congress leader said.
“We cannot fathom why the Prime Minister refuses to take stock of the situation in Manipur and prefers to stay abroad. With this attitude, Manipur will not return to peace. For us, that (peace) is most important. We want peace and harmony and life to be preserved in the state of Manipur,” he said.
Gogoi also took potshots at Union home minister Amit Shah, alleging that despite the latter chairing so many review meetings on the law-and-order situation, the ethnic crisis has prolonged and a solution to the problem still eludes the state.
“Clearly, the Union home minister, despite taking so many review meetings of the law-and-order situation, has failed,” he remarked.
Apart from the ethnic strife, the recent recovery of the bodies of civilians comprising women and children, has aggravated the situation, prompting reimposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas of the state, including Jiribam.
Meanwhile, Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra also criticised the Prime Minister’s stance so far on the conflict.
“The Prime Minister is still silent. He has never visited Manipur or spoken about the situation in the state since the conflict began,” the state Congress chief said.