Cong tears apart 'double engine Govt'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 23 2023: Manipur is in a state of total disarray with none knowing who is running the Government, said Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president MLA K Meghachandra.

Speaking to reporters at his official residence at Babupara, the MPCC president who is also the MLA of Wangkhem Assembly Constituency asserted that the present crisis instead of dying down is getting bigger.

Even after 80 days, the Government has not made any sincere effort to end the crisis, and people are continuing to suffer as a result, he said.

Meghachandra asserted that he has no idea who is running the State Government at present.

Cong tears apart 'double engine Govt'

"We have no idea who is running the Government at present.

We don't know if the BJP is running the Government, or the Kuki militants are running the Government.

[The Government] also has not spelt out how a solution can be brought to the present crisis.

The Government is not even trying to bring a solution," Meghachandra said.

He further said that the Government has not even considered calling an emergency session of the Assembly which is being sought from all quarters including intellectuals, academicians and experts to bring a solution.

Asking why the Government is remaining adamant to the appeals made to call an emergency session, Meghachandra said 10 like minded political parties including the Congress party have been urging the Government to convene a session to discuss the separate administration demand raised by 10 Chin-Kuki MLAs, the present crisis and bring a solution to end violence.

On the other hand, the BJP Government and the BJP as a party have not yet taken any action against the 10 Chin-Kuki MLAs who had raised the separate administration demand to disintegrate Manipur, he said.

Stating that the Manipur Government is in a state of disarray, the MPCC president asserted that the Ministers and MLAs "following behind" the Unified Command Chairman who is a retired IPS officer is "humiliating for Manipur" and is equivalent to "absence" of governance.

A Peace Committee was formed earlier, however, all the members resigned the next day.

Without proper interventions, violence has not ceased.

Houses are being torched, people are being killed and gun battles are still taking place, said Meghachandra stating the "double engine Government" has no meaning amid the crisis.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the State has not helped bring peace.

The two "engines" [BJP in the Centre and Manipur] aren't going in the same direction.

They are going in the opposite directions, he said.

Due to the failure of the Centre and the State Government, the violence in Manipur has become the talk of the country and it has brought shame to her, he said.

The MPCC president was referring to videos and photos of atrocities committed against men and women including the parading of two women by a mob that surfaced online recently.

Due to the Government's failure, the education system has been crippled and the conflict has squeezed the State's economy, he said.

"Where has Union Minister of State Dr RK Ranjan gone? He shouldn't sit silently in the Parliament.

He should raise his voice to save Manipur like MPs of other States," Meghachandra said.

On reports of Meitei people's exodus from Mizoram, he said following a diktat issued by an ex-militant group in Mizoram to Meitei people to leave the State, many Meiteis from Manipur and Assam have begun to exit the State.

The mass exodus of Meitei people from Mizoram is very unfortunate, but it is a result of the failure of the Central BJP Government and Manipur Government in ending and controlling the current Manipur crisis before it worsened, he said.

The Manipur Government and the Mizoram Government must take up all measures for safety and security of the Meitei people.

Both the Government should bear all responsibilities if any of them is harmed, he added.

Meanwhile, he said the five Congress MLAs are ever ready to go in the direction the people point to end the crisis.

They are ready to even resign from their post if it would bring peace, he added.

In the interest of the people, the Congress party is ready to sign any resolution taken by the Government to precisely end the present conflict.

The Congress party always supports any decision or resolution that would protect Manipur's integrity and end the conflict, he said.