P. Chidambaram questions PM Modi for not visiting Manipur in the last 150 days

When the Prime Minister Narendra Modi could find time to visit many countries and even travel to various States in India over the last 150 days, why has he not gone to Manipur even once, where the situation was pathetic, asked senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram. Speaking at a public meeting in Rameswaram on Saturday night, organised by the District Congress Committee (fishermen wing) to celebrate the completion of the first year of the 4,000-km walk of former party president Rahul Gandhi from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir, he said it was very unfortunate that the Manipur situation had not been brought under control.

When the Prime Minister Narendra Modi could find time to visit many countries and even travel to various States in India over the last 150 days, why has he not gone to Manipur even once, where the situation was pathetic, asked senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram.

Speaking at a public meeting in Rameswaram on Saturday night, organised by the District Congress Committee (fishermen wing) to celebrate the completion of the first year of the 4,000-km walk of former party president Rahul Gandhi from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir, he said it was very unfortunate that the Manipur situation had not been brought under control.

People were suffering as normal life was affected. Around 60,000 people lived like refugees in their own land and over 600 people were killed in the riots. Many women were harassed and raped. The police (Assam Rifle and Manipur Police) were fighting among each other. There was absolute lawlessness, he charged.

The Congress, he said, blamed the BJP and the Prime Minister for not controlling the Manipur situation. The trouble, which started on May 3, had witnessed law and order problems and even after 150 days (on September 30), the government had done nothing to stop the tragedy.

It was a shame that even after such a long time, the Union government could not restore normalcy. Mr Chidambaram described it as “weak governance”. The wise move for the Prime Minister would be to step down, he suggested.

He further alleged that the BJP had a “hidden agenda” in Manipur with political overtones. He charged that the BJP neglected the appeals of Kuki and Naga people with the sole intention of retaining the Hindu Meitei population. The Manipur situation was horrible and was disturbing to the people in the nation. Despite the Opposition raising the issue many times, the Prime Minister had not bothered to listen, he said.

The time had come for the people to think and show the door to the BJP in the 2024 election.