Imphal: A 21-member parliamentary delegation of the opposition’s Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) visited Manipur to assess the situation in the wake of ethnic violence. The delegation termed the ongoing violence in Manipur as a “national security issue” and criticized the Prime Minister’s silence, considering it as brazen indifference towards the violence.
During their two-day visit to Manipur, the delegation visited relief camps in Churachandpur, Bishnupur, and Imphal West districts. They interacted with the affected people to understand the ground realities and the challenges faced by the communities.
On the second day, the delegation met with Governor Anusuiya Uikey and submitted a memorandum. The Governor welcomed the team and urged them to extend their cooperation to restore peace and tranquility through peaceful dialogue with representatives of civil society organizations from both communities. The Governor also suggested that an all-party delegation from both the opposition and ruling parties should visit Manipur to engage with leaders from all communities and find a resolution to the crisis.
Congress Lok Sabha group leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expressed that the Governor acknowledged the gravity of the situation and agreed with their observations during the visit. He emphasized the need for dialogue to address the prevailing sense of distrust among the people.
The MPs were deeply moved by the stories of anxieties, uncertainties, pains, and sorrows narrated by individuals affected by the violence in their memorandum to the Governor.
Congress’s Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi, who was part of the delegation, criticized the Prime Minister’s absence from the situation and suggested that the Prime Minister should have led an all-party delegation to Manipur to initiate efforts for peace and reconciliation among all communities.
The situation in Manipur is being closely monitored, and efforts are underway to engage in peaceful dialogue and find a resolution to the ongoing crisis.
