Congress accuses BJP of stoking violence
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 14 2023: The Congress party has accused the BJP of stoking the violence in Manipur.

The comment of the Congress party was a response to the charges levelled against them by the BJP on the resolutions taken during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held in Delhi recently.

Notably, the State unit of BJP had on Friday stated that the Congress party demanding removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh and imposition of President's Rule (PR) in Manipur during the meeting of CWC were illogical and the same won't be considered by the Centre.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan today, vice chairman of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) legal department Advocate Rabi Khan clarified that what the Congress party demanded was for the Central Government to intervene and solve the ongoing crisis even if imposition of President's Rule or removal of the Chief Minister is required.

Stating that the protracted violence in Manipur has taken a heavy toll on the people, Rabi Khan continued that the failure of the Centre and the State Government to contain the violence and restore normalcy till today is unfortunate.

Several spokespersons of BJP have been levelling unfounded charges against the Congress amid this grave crisis, he said and added that it is the lies of the ruling party which compelled the grand old party to make statements.

Accusing the BJP Government of stoking the ongoing violence by giving misleading comments against the Congress, Rabi Khan reiterated that the resolutions taken by the CWC were only to restore normalcy in the strife torn State.

The BJP has also made it clear that the Government at the Centre doesn't listen to the voice of the people by boldly stating that the Central leadership won't pay any heed to the resolutions of CWC, he charged.

The Congress party didn't favour imposition of PR in Manipur initially but the violence has been lingering on for nearly six months with no solutions in sight, he said and added that it is not only the Congress but the entire INDIA bloc which demands PR in Manipur.

He appealed to the double engine BJP Government to work out a solution to the ongoing crisis.

Saying that shutting down of mobile internet services and continuation of gunfights are not a sign of peace prevailing in Manipur, the Congress leader said that they don't want to engage in a blame game.

The Congress doesn't want political mileage out of the grave crisis but it is the lies and unfounded charges of the BJP which compelled the grand old party to make a public statement, he added.

The BJP should stop blaming the Congress for their failure, Rabi Khan maintained.

Why are all these State and Central security forces unable to protect the lives and properties of the people, he asked and urged the Government to let the security forces guard the vulnerable villages instead of leaving the village volunteers to their fate.

He further said that a serious intervention of the Centre is indispensable to restore normalcy in Manipur as the State Government has failed to do so.

Accusing the State police of using brute force to stop the delegates of 10 like-minded parties led by former Chief Minister O Ibobi from submitting a memorandum to the Governor yesterday, Rabi Khan claimed that a large team of State force also tried to arrest Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) president Niingthoujam Popilal from his residence at Phayeng last night at around 10 while a search operation was conducted at the residence of Congress candidate in the last Assembly election from Lamlai AC Achoibam Deben for carrying out the peaceful rally yesterday.

Such a conduct of the State police will depict them as an armed wing of the ruling party, he said.

Comment