Moon Desk: The Congress on Wednesday once again trained its guns at the Centre over the fresh killings in violence-hit Manipur, questioning the Modi government’s “shameless drum beating” about northeast India.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tweeted: “Nine people have lost their lives in Manipur violence, yesterday. Modi government’s shameless drumbeating about Northeast India has drowned the voices of humanity in Manipur.”
“Even as a beautiful border state of India is plunged into an unending spiral of raging fire, Prime Minister Modi ji has turned the other way — Miscreants have ransacked five lakh ammunition pieces and 4,573 weapons from police armories, and hundreds of places of worship have been destroyed.”
He said that it is “unthinkable” that troops of Assam Rifles, which are operationally under the Indian Army, have been left stranded and had to be supplied rations by army helicopters and the blockade of National Highway-2 has resulted in “massive logistical challenges”.
Keeping up his attack, Kharge said: “Measures announced by Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) were too little and too late and failed to deliver on the ground. Modi has remained a mute spectator. Modi ji has not even had the time to chair a meeting in Manipur. But, the Congress party shall keep questioning Modi government’s rank incompetence”.
Questioning why has the ‘double engine’ BJP government failed to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur, he asked if this was so because the BJP “intends to widen the fissures between ethnic groups for its cheap political gains?” and cited news reports of NDA’s NEDA Chairman and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and RSS’ National Executive Member taking the help of insurgent groups to fight previous elections are clearly saying so.
He also questioned why hasn’t the Prime Minister not called an all-party meeting to deliberate political solutions. “It is high time the Modi government takes responsibility for their crimes perpetrated on the people of Manipur and becomes accountable,” Kharge added.
Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said: “The agony of the people of Manipur continues unabated. Their agony is the nation’s pain but clearly not the PM’s – he continues to maintain silence. HM’s belated visit and outsourced interventions to Assam CM are not having any significant impact.”
The Congress leader’s remarks came after at least 11 people were killed and 23 others injured when suspected militants attacked the Khamelock village in Manipur. A police official said that heavily armed militants attacked the village late on Tuesday night and fired at the villagers with automatic weapons killing nine people on the spot and injuring 23 others, including women.
Two people succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
Manipur has witnessed devastating ethnic violence since May 3, killing over 120 people and injuring more than 350, besides destroying thousands of houses, large numbers of private and government vehicles and properties.
