RSS chief blames ‘foreign extremists’ for almost six-month-long Manipur violence

NAGPUR: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has blamed “external forces” for violence in the Northeast state of Manipur that continued for almost six months.

Bhagwat said that the large-scale violence and ethnic conflict in Manipur was ‘orchestrated’ by “foreign extremists”.

The RSS chief made this remark in his speech on the occasion of Vijayadashami Utsav in Nagpur on Tuesday (October 24).

“Meiteis and Kukis have been living together side by side in Manipur since a long time. Since Manipur is a border state, imagine who benefits from such conflicts? Outside forces benefit,” said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

He further questioned: “Which foreign powers may be interested in taking advantage of unrest and instability in Manipur?”

WHY BIREN SINGH IS STILL CM OF MANIPUR? QUESTIONS CONGRESS LEADER

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has questioned the BJP-led central government over N Biren Singh continuing as the chief minister of strife-torn Manipur.

“Why is the CM who is so thoroughly discredited across sections of Manipur’s society still being allowed to continue?” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned.

This question by Jairam Ramesh was among “five questions continue to be asked by the people of Manipur”.

The other four questions are:

• “Why has the Prime Minister not even met with the CM of Manipur and elected MLAs of the state, a large majority of whom belong to his own party or are his party’s allies?
• Why has the Union Minister of State of External Affairs who represents Manipur (Inner) in the Lok Sabha not been able to meet the PM?
• Why has the PM who pontificates on all subjects not seen it fit to speak on Manipur publicly for more than 4-5 minutes at most, that too in a routine manner and after immense pressure from the Opposition?
• Why has the PM who loves to travel at the drop of a hat not seen it fit to spend even a few hours in Manipur to show his concern?”

The Congress leader further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has abandoned the state of Manipur at a time when his intervention and outreach was needed the most”.

“He (PM Modi) cannot escape accountability and responsibility by completely ignoring the crisis,” Jairam Ramesh said.