In a collective effort, the Congress party along with ten other like-minded political parties from Manipur raised concerns over the ongoing violence in the northeastern state and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apparent silence on the matter. The opposition parties have sought an urgent appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue in-depth before his scheduled departure for the United States on June 20.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Jairam Ramesh, the Congress General Secretary, stated, "Ten Opposition parties from Manipur are waiting for an appointment from the Prime Minister. These ten parties include Congress, JD(U), CPI, CPI(M), Trinamool Congress, AAP, All India Forward Bloc, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Revolutionary Socialist Party. We have sought an appointment with the Prime Minister, and we are currently awaiting a reply. We remain hopeful that the Prime Minister will grant us an audience before his departure."
All the concerned political leaders from Manipur are presently stationed in the national capital and intend to stay there until June 20, patiently waiting for the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister and address the escalating crisis in their state.
Jairam Ramesh further drew a comparison to the events of June 18, 2001, when Manipur was engulfed in turmoil. He highlighted that back then, the Assembly Speaker's bungalow and Chief Minister's Secretariat were set ablaze, and a three-and-a-half-month-long blockade ensued. In response to the demands of all political parties, the then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee convened two all-party meetings and earnestly appealed for peace.
"Today, leaders from ten parties are waiting to meet PM Modi, but he remains silent," expressed Jairam Ramesh, who also serves as a Rajya Sabha MP.
He emphasized that on June 24, 2001, merely six days after the unfortunate incident in Manipur, an all-party delegation from the state had an audience with the Prime Minister. Furthermore, on July 8, then-Home Minister L.K. Advani also met the delegation. On both occasions, Prime Minister Vajpayee appealed for calm and urged cooperation with the administration to restore normalcy in Manipur.
Highlighting the current situation, Jairam Ramesh underscored the lack of faith in the state government and the need for assistance from the central government. He expressed disappointment that even after Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Manipur, there has been no tangible improvement in the situation. The Congress leader demanded that Prime Minister Modi pay heed to Vajpayee's appeal and meet with the delegation. He called for "Manipur ki Baat" instead of the popular "Mann ki Baat" program.
Former Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh, also spoke at the press conference, expressing grave concern over the continuing violence since May 3. Singh highlighted the distressing conditions prevailing in the state, with over 20,000 individuals, including women and children, seeking refuge in camps. He raised a significant question, "Is Manipur a part of India or not?" and urged the Prime Minister to address the situation. Singh emphasized that the ten political parties involved had prepared a memorandum advocating for peace, underscoring their commitment to restoring harmony in the region.
