AICC demands peace efforts on war footing
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 19 2023: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has urged both the Central Government and the State Government to take up necessary actions on war-footing so as to restore peace and normalcy in the State.

A high-level AICC team led by former Union Minister Mukul Wasnik landed here yesterday to take stock of the highly volatile situation prevailing in the State.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, Mukul Wasnik said that AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and former AICC leader Rahul Gandhi have taken serious note of the confrontation witnessed in Manipur between two communities.

AICC Manipur in-charge and former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das had made an assessment of the State's situation on May 10 and 11 .

A few days later, a team of Manipur Congress led by MPCC president K Meghachandra and CLP leader O Ibobi came to Delhi and held a meeting with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on the violence and tense situation gripping Manipur.

AICC demands peace efforts on war footing

The meeting agreed to send an AICC team to the State to find out the causes of the conflict and suggest ways and means to bring normalcy in the State.

As agreed at the meeting, a high-level AICC committee comprising Mukul Wasnik, former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das, ex-MP Ajoy Kumar and Tripura MLA Sudip Roy Barman reached Imphal yesterday.

Mukul Wasnik said that they came here to interact with the victims of the violent conflict and work for restoration of normalcy.

The widespread violence seen recently was something unprecedented in Manipur and it is a matter of grave concern, he said.

Citing Government reports, the AICC leader said that the violence has displaced more than 45,000 people while many people could not be traced.

A large number of people have taken shelter in different neighbouring States of the North East while some others have fled to Kolkata and Delhi, he said.

Bodies of many people killed in the ethnic clash are still lying in the morgues of Government hospitals but the Government has not yet initiated any step to hand over the bodies to their families or relatives, he remarked.

Although the State Government has announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each victim killed in the clash, Rs 2 lakh each to those who sustained serious injuries and Rs 25,000 each to those who sustained minor injuries, no victim or their family has received any compensation from the Government till date, Mukul Wasnik said.

A large number of people have been enduring all kinds of difficulties at relief camps but the Government has not been providing adequate relief materials, he decried.

The AICC delegates held a meeting with Governor Anusuiya Uikey along with MPCC leaders yesterday and discussed the current situation of Manipur for over one hour.

Although a large number of people have been suffering extreme misery on account of the conflict, the Government has not yet taken up any tangible action to bring peace and normalcy in the State.

He decried that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not yet bothered to speak a single word even though Manipur has been literally burning all these days.

It is rather surprising that the Union Home Minister too has not given a proper account of the conflict.

Even though Union Ministers used to visit Manipur almost every week in the past, no Union Minister has landed at Imphal since May 3.All the Union Ministers are acting deaf and blind to the raging issue of Manipur, he remarked.

Saying that Congress has no intention to seek political advantage out of the current situation, the AICC leader urged the Government to take up necessary measures so as to restore peace and normalcy in the State.

Pointing out that a large number of Government employees have been staying away from the offices, Mukul Wasnik appealed to the Government to ensure that employees come back and resume their duties.

He then urged both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to initiate peace efforts on war-footing in order to restore normalcy in the State.

AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das, ex-MP Ajoy Kumar, Tripura MLA Sudip Roy Barman, MPCC president K Meghachandra, CLP leader O Ibobi, Deputy CLP leader K Ranjit and MLA Th Lokeshwor were also present at the press meet.