KOCHI: Sathyadeepam, the weekly published by the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church, has alleged that the Manipur riots have been engineered. The editorial in its latest edition even went to the extent of asking whether Manipur was really part of India. The way things are in the state, which was formed in 1972, solidifies suspicions that the riots were masterminded, it said.
It pointed out that the main cause of the current conflagration is the Manipur High Court verdict directing the state government to declare Meiteis, the majority community, a scheduled tribe. The central government’s unwillingness to intervene effectively in the matter helped flare up the problem, said the editorial.
“The fact that the riots didn’t abate even after a visit by Home Minister Amit Shah proves that things have gone out of hand. There are even allegations that the formation of the 51-member peace committee is a sham. While Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh blamed militant groups for the riots targeting the Kukis, Shah says the court verdict is the cause of the problem!” said the editorial.
Even as the editorial criticised the central government for not taking effective, efficient action to curb the riots, it praised Rahul Gandhi for visiting the state. “His visit provided hope and confidence to the affected people,” it said.
The Weekly was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence. “Is it not deliberate that the prime minister, who has visited northeastern states more than 30 times in nine years, is not visiting Manipur now?” it said. The publication’s leader also criticised the church authority for initially ignoring the riots.