Several senior leaders of Opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu over their demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in the Parliament on the Manipur issue.
They also sought the intervention of the President to re-establish peace and harmony in the north-eastern state, arguing that the situation has reached a critical stage in the last few weeks. Ethnic violence has rocked the state since May 3, claiming the lives of over 150 people.
In the memorandum, 31 leaders of the Opposition bloc said, “We implore you to press upon the prime minister to urgently address Parliament on the prevailing situation in Manipur, followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion on the matter.”
“The shocking viral video that surfaced online has left the nation in shell shock, and it is evident that the state administration and police have failed to address the matter promptly. The delayed response of over two months to take cognisance and apprehend the accused has compounded the severity of the issue. Subsequently, it has come to light that the said incident is only one of the several cases of atrocities against women,” they added.
In their memorandum, the Opposition leaders who visited the ethnic strife-hit state for two days on July 20-30, said that people, including women and children were facing “extreme devastation and hardships”.
“The impact of the violence has been devastating, with more than 200 lives lost, over 500 injuries, and more than 5,000 houses gutted in arson-related incidents. A staggering number of over 60,000 people are displaced, living in dìre conditions in relief camps across the state. The delegation visited relief camps in three different conflict-affected areas, including Churachandpur, Moirang, and Imphal, where they interacted with the affected people, listened to their concerns, and witnessed firsthand the dire living conditions, especially for women and children,” the memorandum said.
It also added that people in relief camps were not given adequate food and relief materials, and were “living in a state of permanent fear and insecurity”.
There is a need for “secure and just rehabilitation to rebuild their lives”.
“The three-month-long internet ban in the state has further escalated distrust between different communities and allowed the spread of misinformation. The prolonged closure of schools and colleges for nearly three months has adversely affected the education and learning of children and youth in Manipur,” it added.
The Opposition bloc also informed the President that a detailed and comprehensive discussion on the Manipur issue has been rejected in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
They alleged that the “intermittent switching off” mic of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in the Parliament is a “new low in Parliamentary democracy and is highly concerning”.
The Opposition bloc also raised the communal tension in Nuh district of Haryana, alleging that the Centre was not bothered about the developments that are taking place “barely 100 km from the Prime Minister’s Office”.
Later, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters that members of the delegation apprised the President of the situation in Manipur and all MPs shared their accounts as well.