On Wednesday, the Congress party raised questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence regarding the situation in Manipur, asserting that never before has a Prime Minister completely "abandoned" a state and its people as it is happening now.
Congress General Secretary for Communications, Jairam Ramesh, expressed his concerns, highlighting that Manipur has found itself in this dire situation despite the BJP being elected to power in the state just 15 months ago. He characterized this as a "most damning indictment" of the BJP's policies and the Prime Minister's priorities.
Ramesh pointed out that five months ago, on the evening of May 3, Manipur was thrown into turmoil due to the "divisive politics" of the so-called "double-engine sarkar" (referring to BJP governments at the state and central levels). Despite significant time passing since those events, he noted that there has been no substantial improvement in the situation. In fact, things have deteriorated further, with a breakdown of social harmony, a rise in violent crimes, and a continuous stream of distressing news. Large numbers of people are still residing in relief camps, and clashes between the armed forces and state police have become routine.
Ramesh underscored that amidst these grave circumstances, the Prime Minister has remained largely silent, with only a brief and belated mention of Manipur in a lengthy speech in the Lok Sabha on August 10th. He also highlighted that the Chief Minister of Manipur, a member of the BJP, continues to hold office despite the majority of BJP MLAs reportedly wanting his removal.
The Congress leader posed several pertinent questions, including when was the last time the Prime Minister visited Manipur, when he spoke to the BJP Chief Minister of Manipur, when he met with BJP MLAs from the state, and when he discussed Manipur with his cabinet colleague representing the state. Ramesh concluded by stating that never before has a Prime Minister completely ignored a state and its people in such a manner. He characterized the current situation in Manipur, which has deteriorated within a short span of 15 months under BJP rule, as a severe indictment of the policies and priorities of the BJP and the Prime Minister. The Congress party has consistently raised concerns about the Prime Minister's silence and questioned why he has not made efforts to visit the violence-affected state.
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