‘Manipur Needs A Political Solution, Not Mere Use Of Police-Military’

Flames and smoke billows out after an old warehouse is set ablaze amid violence in Manipur, at Palace Compound in Imphal East district (Image: PTI)

Hitting out at the Central government, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday said that the violence-hit Manipur “requires a political solution, not a mere deployment of police-military to handle law and order”.

Surjewala’s remark comes after former Army Chief General Ved Prakash Malik and Lt General of Army L Nishikanta Singh (retired) dubbed the condition in Manipur as “stateless”.

In a Twitter post, the Congress General Secretary said: “Manipur’s destructive violence has left a long trail of blood, deaths, destruction, distrust in Govt forcing a Lt. General of Indian Army to call Manipur as ‘stateless’ & comparing it to Lebanon-Nigeria-Syria an Ex Chief of Indian Army to plead for action. IS ANYONE LISTENING?”.

In the post, Surjewala noted that since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, there have been “over 115 dead, over 50,000 displaced, over 121 churches of 15 denominations burnt down, more then 5,000 weapons looted (only 1,100 have been returned), home of even Union MOS for External Affairs has been burnt down, besides destroying large number of government buildings”.

“The confusion in handling Manipur is best described in the statements of ruling BJP’s CM and our Army General’s perception of why is Manipur burning? Manipur BJP CM has described the violence as an act of terrorists. But our Army General, Anil Chauhan says it has, ‘nothing to do with counterinsurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities’. But PM Modi remains ‘oblivious’ to Manipur,” he added.

Targeting the Prime Minister, Surjewala went on to say that the Modi has “neither visited Manipur (he found time to visit Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia and is now headed to US), nor once took stock by calling for a meeting or Chairing a meeting to review the situation in Manipur, nor once expressed dismay over violence or spoke about it in last 45 days since May 3”.

Also hitting out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress leader said: “HM, Amit Shah found time to visit Manipur only 27 days after the death and destruction. His solutions have yielded zero result and since then, he has completely ignored Manipur as if it is not his charge. BJP Chief Minister Biren Singh has definitely failed miserably to handle the situation and any semblance of government has crumbled in the state. BJP National President, J.P. Nadda maintains a ‘stony silence’ over Manipur as if nothing is happening. Everything has been dumped on the shoulders of our Army and police to maintain law and order and Modi government appears to have washed its hands off.”

Firing salvos at the government, Surjewala added: “But will this work? Is this expected of PM Modi? Should PM not take initiative? Should PM and Union Government not initiate a fresh dialogue with both ethnic groups? Do the victims of violence not require a direct healing touch from PM and Union government assuring them of support and rehabilitation? Should PM not acknowledge that State BJP government has utterly failed to run the government in accordance with the Constitution? Should PM and Union government not ensure that raging violence and disruption comes to an end and normal political process is restored, instead of dumping its responsibility on our Army?”

He further said that the question is same as raised by Nishikanta Singh. “Is the Modi government even listening? Does PM even care? Is the government even concerned? Time to act in National Interest.”

The remarks by the Congress leader came after former Army Chief General Malik said on Friday that the law and order situation in Manipur needs “urgent attention at highest level”.

General Malik (retd), referring to a tweet by Lt Gen L. Nishikanta Singh (retd), tweeted: “An extraordinarily sad call from a retired Lt Gen from Manipur. Law & order situation in Manipur needs urgent attention at the highest level.”

General Malik, who served as the 19th Chief of Army Staff from September 30, 1997 to September 30, 2000, tagged Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Shah in his tweet.

Earlier, Lt Gen Singh (retd) tweeted: “I’m just an ordinary Indian from Manipur living a retired life. The state is now ‘stateless’. Life and property can be destroyed anytime by anyone just like in Libya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Syria, etc. It appears Manipur has been left to stew in its own juice. Is anyone listening?”

The devastating ethnic violence began after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised by a tribal student body in the hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community’s Scheduled Tribe status demand.

(Source: IANS)