Congress national secretary Ranajit Mukherjee, speaking in Imphal, urged the Centre to address the ongoing crisis in Manipur before the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which are anticipated to occur in March or April this year.
During a press conference in Imphal, Ranajit Mukherjee, who also serves as the Congress national general secretary overseeing Sikkim and Nagaland, emphasized the importance of resolving the conflict in Manipur above electoral considerations. He stressed the necessity for the government to convene all conflicting parties for negotiations and achieve a resolution that satisfies every community in the state.
About the Supreme Court's ruling on the invalidation of electoral bonds, Mukherjee commended the court's decision, highlighting the efforts of various entities including the Association of Democratic Reforms, CPI-M, and Congress leaders in addressing what he termed as a significant issue concerning electoral finances. He criticized the system that he claimed favored the ruling party by ensuring that all donations flowed predominantly to them.
Mukherjee also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for allegedly reneging on their pre-2014 promises. He cited an unfulfilled commitment made by Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign regarding the implementation of the late MS Swaminathan's recommendations on providing Minimum Support Price (MSP), suggesting that honoring Swaminathan's recommendations would be a fitting tribute to the recently honored Bharat Ratna awardee.
Manipur has been grappling with intermittent violence since May 3 of the previous year, stemming from ethnic tensions between the Valley-dominant Meiteis and the hill-dominant Kukis. These clashes have resulted in significant casualties and internal displacement, with over 180 lives lost and thousands forced to flee their homes. The recent unrest in Manipur's Churachandpur town resulted in two fatalities and numerous injuries during clashes between protesters and security forces on February 15, following the suspension of a constable.
