Cong unimpressed with Shah's peace talk claims
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 18 2024: Reacting sharply to Union home minister Amit Shah's claim that talks have started for bringing lasting peace in the state, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) categorically stated Shah's assertion lacks clarity as there is no sign of peace initiative on the ground.

Addressing media persons at Congress Bhawan, here, on Wednesday, MPCC working president Kh Devbrata opined that there were hints of seriousness to resolve the Manipur crisis within 100 days of the NDA 3.0 government when it took oath.

However, instead of settling the conflict after making the people wait for 100 days, the government is now talking of preparing a road-map for peace and even claimed of engaging in dialogue with Meetei and Kuki leaders.

Nonetheless, there is no sign of starting dialogue between the two communities in conflict and MPCC does not believe in the Union government's claim, he said.

Mention may be made that on the completion of 100 days of the third Modi government, Amit Shah had on Tuesday said that the government was holding talks with both Meetei and Kuki communities to ensure lasting peace and has begun fencing the country's border with Myanmar to check infiltration, which was the root cause for the trouble.

In response, Devbrata told reporters, Amit Shah has claimed that the government is holding talks with both Meetei and Kuki groups to resolve the crisis in the state.

But there is no evidence of such talks on the ground.

There is a lack of transparency in his statement.

According to Devbrata, Amit Shah's claim on peace initiative lacks transparency as there is no identification of the engaged stakeholders.

As such, the government of India should name bodies/stake-holders engaged in the dialogue and must maintain transparency in this regard.

The Centre needs to provide details of the groups involved in the dialogue as there are numerous groups in the valley.

Talks with one group alone will not be sufficient.

It is hard to believe that dialogue is happening as nothing can be seen on the ground level.

We demand to know which groups are involved in the talks, he said.

Taking into account that the public are fully aware about who are doing what amid the crisis lingering for 17 months, who are demanding separate administration and what some elected members said about the crisis, the Union government should give clarity on groups involved in the dialogue, Devbrata said, adding that peace dialogue would not be successfully if the underlying foundations for peace are not discussed thoroughly and properly.

With reference to chief minister N Biren Singh claiming involvement of foreign hands in the ongoing crisis and citing arrest of a cadre of KNA (B) to assert the same in a function of AMWJU recently, the working president termed as 'premature' for the chief minister to make such a remark and expressed that assert of the foreigner would be convincing and have weightage had Union home minister Amit Shah disclosed the matter.

Though CM Biren contended that arrest of a militant of KNA (B) outfit validate general suspicion and assertion about involvement of foreign hands in the conflict, there was no such claim in Shah's statement, pointed out the MPCC vice president.

He said: "We think the claim would have been more credible had the Centre said that foreign players were involved in the crisis".

The Congress leader also demanded a clarification from the state government about a purported official document, allegedly signed by secretary to the CM, N Geoffrey and addressed to the DGP stating that 900 trained Kuki militants have moved to the hills adjoining Imphal Valley and were planning to carry out coordinated attacks on Meitei villages around September 28."The official document circulating on social media has created panic in the fringe areas of Imphal Valley and there have been reports of construction of bunkers to protect life and properties.

We demand a clarification from the chief minister and the secretary to the CM about it," he said.

On the other-hand, hitting out at Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress on Tuesday asked if the situation in Manipur was as normal as he (Shah) made it out to be why hasn't Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state yet or met its political leaders.

In a press conference in New Delhi, Shah said the government is talking to both the Meetei and Kuki communities in Manipur to ensure lasting peace and has begun fencing the country's border with Myanmar to check infiltration.

Barring three days of violence last week, the overall situation in Manipur has been calm and the government has been working to restore peace in the restive state, Shah said at the press conference on the achievements of 100 days of the Modi government 3.0.Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "If the situation in Manipur is as normal as the self-styled Chanakya has made it out to be today (and) if the chief minister of Manipur is doing as good a job as the self-styled Chanakya has made it out to be today, if a dialogue process with different communities is underway as has been claimed by the self-styled Chanakya today, then why hasn't the non-biological PM found the time and inclination to visit Manipur ever since the state erupted on May 3, 2023?"."Why hasn't the non-biological PM met with the political leaders of the state, including the CM, for a meaningful discussion?" Ramesh said in a post on X.Why is there no full-time governor and why has the chief secretary not been in the state for the past 45 days, the Congress leader asked.

"Why are a number of MLAs and ministers no longer in the state, and why is the palatial BJP office in Imphal not functioning?" he said.

The Congress has repeatedly urged Prime Minister Modi visit the violence-hit state, stressing that it would help restore peace and normalcy there.

(With inputs from PTI) .

Comment