INDIA Coalition in Manipur Appeals to PM Modi for Urgent Visit to Address Ethnic Tensions
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New Delhi/Imphal, Dec 6 (NationPress) The 10-party INDIA coalition in Manipur has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the state at the earliest opportunity, or alternatively, to engage in talks with political representatives from Manipur in New Delhi.
The coalition, spearheaded by the Congress, has submitted a request to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) urging him to travel to Manipur in order to address the ongoing 19-month-long ethnic conflict.
During a press briefing in Delhi, Manipur Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh expressed disappointment that leaders of the INDIA coalition were denied permission to conduct a peaceful sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
“It is very unfortunate that we cannot exercise our right to protest amidst unprecedented turmoil... Our movement will persist. We will continue to demonstrate in varied forms,” stated Singh, who was part of the delegation from the coalition.
He highlighted that the ethnic violence had displaced over one lakh people from their homes and villages, resulting in several hundred deaths and numerous injuries.
According to the Congress leader, the violence has caused extensive damage to properties belonging to various communities, exacerbating the turmoil and inflicting severe pain, trauma, fear, and a sense of complete helplessness among the residents of Manipur.
“We urged the Prime Minister that if he cannot find time to visit Manipur, he can convene a meeting with political leaders from the state to gain insight into the serious situation here,” asserted the state Congress chief.
CPI-M leader Kshetrimayum Shanta, who is also the convenor of the 10-party INDIA coalition, expressed regret over the denial of permission for a peaceful sit-in protest in Jantar Mantar by the Delhi Police.
In a related development, around 20 civil society organizations and student groups from the Imphal Valley have announced plans for a rally in Delhi on December 22.
In a combined statement, these civil society groups, including the Committee of Peaceful Coexistence Manipur, Federal Students Organisation Kangleipak, Manipuri Students Federation, and Imagi Meira, revealed their intention to assemble a 50-member delegation to meet with the Prime Minister to convey their concerns and demands.
The ethnic strife between the non-tribal Meiteis and the tribal Kuki-Zo communities erupted in the northeastern state on May 3 of last year, following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organized in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's quest for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
