Situation turning from bad to worse : Cong
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 05 2023: Even after three months, the tension between the Meiteis and the Kukis has not subsided, but has rather become worse, said MPCC president K Meghachandra.

Speaking to reporters at Imphal, K Meghachandra said the Congress party strongly condemns the killing of three Meitei civilians including a father-son duo by Kuki militants at Bishnupur district in the wee hours of today.

Such attacks and killing of innocent civilians have not ceased even after three months.

Congress has lost all faith in the present Government to bring peace, he said.

The Congress leader, on the other hand, stressed that there should be close coordination between the State police and the Central security forces to end all violence and bring peace.

Situation turning from bad to worse : Cong

While the two security forces are to work in close coordination with each other, there is no such arrangement at present, he said.

He said State police personnel were stopped by the Assam Rifles when they tried to reach the incident site today.

Asking why the Assam Rifles stopped the State police from entering the area, Meghachandra said a special investigation must be initiated to find out the lack of coordination between the forces.

The State forces must be enabled to perform more effectively to protect the State, he said.

Former Speaker and Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar said even after three months, the State Government has not taken any concrete steps to end the present crisis.

While all the five MLAs of the Congress are willing to support the Government in taking resolutions to protect the State's integrity, the State Government has shown little conviction to end the crisis, he claimed.

Lokeshwar said not heeding to the demand raised to call an emergency sitting of the Assembly, the Government has called for normal sitting of the Assembly on August 21, which is late.

Not calling an emergency session early is an indication that the present State Government is treating the current issue as "nothing serious", he added.

The State Government must have called an emergency Assembly session to take resolutions as early as possible and to send it to the Parliament, he said.

MLA Lokeshwar also stressed that the State forces are capable and the State Government should deploy them effectively to face the Kuki militants.