NEW DELHI: Slamming the state and the Central governments for their “failure” to restore peace in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, the Congress on Saturday demanded that an all-party delegation visit the state. The party also demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Biren Singh.
Former Manipur CM and senior Congress leader Okram Ibobi, who represented Congress at the all-party meet, said, “The PM, who has not uttered a single word on the Manipur violence, should have presided over the meeting. We also requested more time to present our party’s stance, but our request was denied.”
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told the media at the party office that Manipur has been in the grip of violence for the last 52 days.
“There is a need to form a common consensus with the people of Manipur and a road map should be prepared in a sensitive way,” Ramesh said. Congress has raised 10 points of demand in the all-party meeting. “This meeting that was held today should actually have been chaired by PM Modi and held at Imphal to give a message to the people of state in distress. The PM is speaking in foreign countries but has not spoken a single word on Manipur violence,” Ramesh said.
He further said that it was a matter of regret that only seven minutes were given to Ibobi Singh out of three hours at the meeting. “All armed groups must be disarmed immediately without any compromise. And all the arms should be seized by the government,” Ramesh said, adding that as long as CM Biren Singh continues on the post, return of peace in the state is not possible.
Besides Congress, opposition parties like TMC and RJD also demanded an all party-delegation be sent to Manipur. The TMC in a statement accused the Centre of deliberately ignoring the people’s needs in Manipur and demanded that all steps be taken to restore peace.