NEW DELHI: Seeking immediate removal of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, the leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) Brinda Karat on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is misleading the nation on the issue of ethnic violence in the state, where the economy has completely collapsed.
“PM said the people of India are with the people of Manipur. This is the reality but the ‘double-engine government’ (BJP-led Centre and state governments) is not with them. The state is geographically and emotionally divided between communities. The PM is misleading. He is not telling the truth and doing justice to the people of Manipur…The double-engine government has failed,” she said.
Karat was speaking at a press conference in the national capital to brief about what a delegation of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) witnessed during its recent visit to Manipur.
The former Rajya Sabha member further said that justice is still being denied to victims of sexual violence and the CM is doing nothing. “What we saw (in Manipur) is that the biggest barrier to justice is the CM himself. That is our impression from the people we spoke to. On every front; social, political, economic and security, Manipur is in deep distress. Culpability of the CM must be pinpointed...The betrayal of trust by the government, administration and police has damaged the psyche of the people. They don’t see any hope till this CM is removed,” added Karat.
The CPIM delegation has sought an appointment from President Droupadi Murmu to submit its report. Karat along with AIDWA president PK Sreemathi and general secretary Mariam Dhanwale spent three days in Manipur talking to the violence victims.
“Manipur situation requires political solution; Kind words are not going to solve,” she also stated.
She sought monetary support—direct cash transfer—to all Aadhaar card holders and also free food grains in the state.
“Most of the workers there are from the unorganised sector. Everything is shut. There is no work. Women from both sides have told us that they have been eating once in a day. In hill/ tribal areas, food grains are not reaching. Trucks (carrying food grains) have to come via Mizoram. It takes 15 hours to reach. There is an emergency of some sort on the economic front,” said the member of CPIM’s Polit Bureau.