MLA Ranjit unimpressed with Amit Shah's assurance
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 27 2023: It would have been appreciated had union home minister Amit Shah declared his assurances to uphold the integrity of Manipur during the session of the Parliament instead of repeating the same to the chief minister, ministers and CSOs of the state, opined Congress Legislature Party (CLP) deputy leader MLA K Ranjit.

In a press meet held at Congress Bhawan here on Saturday, MLA Ranjit referred to the union home minister calling state's CSOs, the CM and his council of minister to Delhi a few days ago and reportedly giving assurance to protect the integrity of Manipur.

However, if he (Amit Shah) had been sincere, he would have made a declaration of the same as part of his response to the no-confidence motion moved during the monsoon session of the Parliament.

Instead, he has been giving different responses to Kuki/Meitei MLAs, ministers and CSOs, the MLA observed.

Meanwhile, the 10 Kuki MLAs have been submitting memorandum to the PM and the union home minister demanding separate administration, and creation of post of chief secretary and DGP.

Amid this, it is questionable how can Manipur's integrity be preserved when there are two separatist MLAs in the council of ministers, who are yet to be removed from their posts, he remarked.

Ranjit continued that the violence, which began on May 3, feels like as if it was orchestrated by the central and state governments.

Since May 3, Kuki militants have been laying siege on the land, raping women, murdering civilians and committing arson.

So far, around 330 people have been killed, while the government records only 153 deaths.

Moreover, over 5000 houses have been burned down, and more than 50,000 people displaced and staying in relief camps.

The government's lack of apathy towards the suffering of the people and half-hearted relief/rehabilitation efforts, have raised concerns if any hidden agenda is at play, the Sugnu MLA maintained.

Recounting that there were a total of 35,000 personnel in the police force at the time of Congress' rule, he surmised that if the state forces were deployed/dispatched in a timely manner, the groups of raging Kuki militants would have already been chased away from the state.

On July 26, the militants started burning the houses in Moreh which were left out during the attack on May 3 and 4.However, they immediately fled the area following the movement of the 120 commando personnel stationed in Moreh PS.

In addition, the areas where gunfights have been reported are few in numbers.

If around 200 personnel are deployed in each location, it would not be long before the violence in the state is taken under control.

Unfortunately, the state government is not doing so.

Union home minister Amit Shah visited Manipur on May 29 and promised that peace and normalcy would soon be restored in the state.

The promise remains unfulfilled amidst reports of sporadic firing incidents.

The MLA further mentioned about the so-called buffer zone declared by some Kuki groups, the sale of Meitei properties in Churachandpur, renaming of Meitei localities in Moreh with Kuki nomenclatures and construction of new bunkers in the peripheral areas.

While the CM announced that he would protect Manipur's integrity as long as there is a drop of blood in his veins, the same day a kid was killed in a bomb attack by Kuki militants.

Mere speeches do not work in conflict nor will save the integrity of Manipur, he cautioned, while observing that the government neither could say anything when the so-called buffer zone was created nor could deploy state security forces at the right time and place.

Ranjit said that the people of Manipur have been blowing the Moibung (conch shells), looking for the MLAs and ministers to save them.

Unfortunately for them, the CM, council of ministers and ruling MLAs are rather uninterested.

The Congress MLAs, however, met the President and submitted a memorandum with regard to the violence, and further sought an appointment with the PM but was rejected.

The party worked with all political parties to curb the violence in Manipur and the MLAs stayed in Delhi when the monsoon session of the Parliament was on.

PM Modi barely spoke about the three-month long Manipur violence.

As such, the Congress MLAs talked to the national leaders and a no-confidence motion was moved, following which the PM was compelled to speak on Manipur, albeit briefly.

In addition, since the conflict began, over 50,000 paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state but incidents of arson, gunfights and abduction/killings are still continuing.

Since the forces have reservation about controlling the conflict, it would not be wrong to say the violence is being jointly orchestrated by the government along with others, Ranjit said.

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