Imphal, (Samajweekly) The Congress-led 10 like-minded parties bloc in Manipur on Thursday said that the “double engine governments” of the BJP at the Centre and the state had, even after five months, utterly failed to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
After a day-long convention of the parties, Congress leader and three-term Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh (2002-2017) said both the Central and state governments’ sheer negligence had failed to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn state.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though he talked on all issues, still remained silent on the Manipur crisis so far and it is very unfortunate and condemnable at highest term.
Singh said that people are still confused on whether Article 355 has been imposed in the state or not.
“Is Manipur ruled by the Central government or by elected representatives of the state government,” he questioned.
To bring an amicable solution to the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, the 10 like-minded political parties reaffirmed their stand to work jointly until peace is restored and launch continuous peaceful demonstrations.
A resolution, adopted in the Thursday’s convention, said that the ‘Bloc of Ten Political Parties’ resolved to work together in Manipur to find solutions to the ongoing crisis that triggered owing to alleged total failures, lapses, and negligence of the Central and state governments.
“All crimes committed during the ethnic violence committed against women, children, elderly people, students, and youths should be investigated promptly without any discrimination. Protests will be held in different parts of the state on issues of public concern and importance,” the resolution said.
The 10 parties, which also include the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, CPI-M, CPI, Forward Bloc, RSP, Shiv Sena-UBT, Janata Dal-United and Nationalist Congress Party, have demanded that the government should talk to all stakeholders for an amicable settlement of the crisis and bring ever-lasting peace and harmony in Manipur.
On the other hand, eight former Manipur Ministers and MLAs lambasted the double-engineered BJP government for failing to safeguard the territorial, administrative and emotional integrity of Manipur. They further alleged that the BJP led Central government was only concerned about the 2024 Lok Sabha election and least interested in the Manipur turmoil.
The former ministers and legislators questioned why the state authorities and the BJP were unable to take actions against the 10 tribal MLAs who violated their constitutional oath by demanding a separate administration or a separate state for the tribals. Of the ten MLAs, seven belong to the ruling BJP.
