Congress urge MPs from Manipur to raise the strife-torn state’s issues in Parliament

Guwahati: As Manipur witnesses no respite in the unceasing ethnic strife, the opposition Congress has heaped pressures on all three MPs from the Northeastern state to raise the issue in the ongoing Parliament session to ensure that peace is restored in Manipur.

A delegation of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), to this end, has submitted a memorandum to the trio-Inner Manipur MP and Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education and External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Outer Manipur MP Lorho S. Pfoze and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba.

Headed by MPCC Vice President Hareshwar Goshwami, the Congress team on Monday called on Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba at his New Delhi official residence and submitted the memorandum to him. On Saturday (December 9), they called on Pfoze and Singh.

While Singh and Sanajaoba are Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs, Pfoze belongs to the Naga People’s Front (NPF), the coalition partner of the N Biren Singh-led government in the state.

The memo categorically requested the MPs to take up the current boiling issues of Manipur for a proper decision during the ongoing Parliament session with special attention on immediate rehabilitation and restoration of all persons displaced by the strife with adequate security and urgent payment of suitable compensation. It called for taking immediate measures for the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state.

Highlighting a brief genesis of the strife, the memo read “As we are all aware, there was a sudden eruption of violence on May 3, 2023, that started in Kangvai in Churachandpur district after a Tribal Solidarity March organised by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM).”

“Since then, Manipur has been scorching non-stop and more than 60,000 people have been internally displaced and taking refuge in relief camps, around 200 people were either killed or missing, and several dead bodies are still lying in various mortuaries in the state. Around 6,000 weapons with several rounds of ammunition were looted or snatched from police posts and battalions,” the memo read.

“Even after seven long torturous and painful months, there is no sign of restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur. Due to these happenings, Manipur is lagging in every aspect of development and the grief and miseries of the people are manifold,” it added.

During Monday’s meeting, MP Sanajaoba informed the Congress delegation that he too wanted all the points mentioned in the memorandum to be raised during the ongoing Parliament session.

On Saturday, Union MoS Singh informed the opposition team that he, being a Minister, could not put up any matter in the Parliament, but he is ready in helping to bring a solution to the crisis besetting Manipur, while Pfoze too said he is ready to bring out a solution to solve the crisis.