CM feasts on PC's remarks to assail Cong; Ibobi clarifies
Source: Chronicle News Service
Gauhati/Imphal, November 19 2024:
An X post of Congress leader P Chidambaram (PC) created brouhaha in Manipur on Tuesday with Chief Minister N Biren Singh blaming the party for the ongoing crisis in the state.
The Congress distanced itself from Chidambaram's post, now deleted, calling it his personal remarks.
Chidambaram said, "Rushing 5,000 MORE central armed police jawans is not the answer to the Manipur crisis.
It is more wisdom; acknowledging that Mr Biren Singh, the chief minister, is the cause of the crisis and removing him immediately" .
He further stated, "It is more understanding: that the Meitei, the Kuki-Zo and the Naga can live together in one state only if they have genuine regional autonomy.
It is more statesmanship: for the Hon'ble PM to give up his obstinacy, visit Manipur, and speak to the peo-pie of Manipur with humility and learn first-hand their grievances and aspirations" .
The chief minister wasted no time in hitting back.
"He (Chidambaram) is the root cause of the Manipur crisis and the Congress is the creator of what we are seeing in the state today.
When he was the Union home minister during the then Congress government and O Ibobi was the chief minister here, they brought a Myanmarese foreigner Thanglianpau Guite, who himself admitted in one of the interviews that he contested an MP election in Myanmar.
That person is the chairman of Zomi Revolutionary Army which is banned in Myanmar," Biren Singh said.
Showing a photo featuring Chidambaram with Guite, Biren claimed that the Congress never cared for the Northeast and its indigenous people.
"The present crisis is not an ethnic conflict.
It is the problem of illegal migration of people from Myanmar and drug smuggling.
They are trying to dominate the indigenous population of Manipur and entire Northeast," he said.
Biren alleged Chidambaram as the home minister allowed these foreigners to enter India and sign suspension of operations agreement.
"Whatever we are seeing in Manipur today is the creation of the Congress.
They cannot wash their hands off the crisis," he further stated.
Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi has clarified that former Union Home minister P Chidambaram's recent post on X - in which he indicated that the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities can coexist in a one state, only if they are granted genuine regional autonomy - represented latter's personal observation and did not reflect the official stance of the party regarding the current crisis.
Addressing the media at his official residence in Babupara here on Tuesday, former chief minister Ibobi said that the post was shared on X at 8 am on Tuesday.
"As his observation had some remarks having potential to create confusion and mislead the situation in the state, party leaders held an emergency meeting on Tuesday morning.
Consequently, Congress president Mallikarjun Khage and leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi were apprised about the post.
Later, P Chidambaram deleted his X post at around 9 am" .
Ibobi further said that the Congress party's stand is clear and it would not compromise the integrity of Manipur at any cost.
"Nobody can challenge the state's unity and integrity.
Manipur has written history of over 2000 years with its own unique culture, tradition and identity.
It is based on this fact that the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi refused the demand of Mizo National Front to annex Churachandpur into Mizoram when the Front proposed to withdraw its freedom movement," he said.
Reiterating that Chidambaram's remark was his personal opinion and had nothing to do with the party's stand, he appealed to the public not to be swayed by propaganda aimed at misleading the public by his remark.
On the other hand, reliable sources from the national capital said that Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Keisham Meghachandra and Lok Sabha MP Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam also raised the matter with the party leaders in New Delhi urging them to ask Chidambaram to delete his post on X .
(With inputs from Agencies) .
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