Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, on Friday, harshly criticised the BJP-led Central and State governments amid an uptick in violence in the troubled northeastern state of Manipur, claiming that the Prime Minister is unwilling to engage with the populace while the Chief Minister has lost the trust of all social groups.
Modi Govt has run out of fuel
In a tweet, Chidambaram poked fun at the BJP's frequently used analogy of having power both at the federal level and at the state level by saying, "The double-engine government is failing the people of Manipur. One engine (the state) has run out of fuel. The other engine (the centre) has decoupled itself and is hiding in the loco shed."
On Thursday night in the capital of Manipur, a crowd of about 50 people set fire to the home of RK Ranjan Singh, the Union minister of state for external affairs. After setting the warehouse on fire, a mob and members of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) engaged in combat the following day. Additionally, the group blocked traffic in Imphal by burning rubbish, logs, and tyres in the middle of the streets in the Wangkhei, Porompat, and Thangapat neighbourhoods.
PM Modi is silent on Manipur, no appeals for peace
Chidambaram said, "It is obvious that Mr Biren Singh has lost the confidence of all sections of the people of Manipur. It is also obvious that Mr Narendra Modi is not willing to talk to the people of Manipur nor even make an appeal for peace."
"Since May 3 -- that is in the last 45 days -- the Hon'ble Prime Minister has not uttered a word on Manipur; nor visited the state that is burning. This is the Government that boasts of 'Sabka Saath......',” he further added.
Conflicts between the Meitei minority and the tribal Kuki community originally broke out on May 3 over a court-recommended modification to the state's reserve matrix that gave the former scheduled tribe (ST) status. Since then, 115 people have died and more than 300 have suffered injuries. Tens of thousands of people were displaced as they fled burning houses and neighbourhoods into jungles, frequently crossing state boundaries, in a state where ethnic fault lines run deep.
