22 UK MPs urge British govt to halt FTA talks with India over Manipur turmoil
LONDON: The unabated violence and violation of human rights in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur have once again attracted international focus.
As many as 22 MPs, belonging to the House of Commons in the British Parliament, have urged the United Kingdom (UK) government to halt talks relating to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India in the wake of the ethnic violence in Manipur.
A motion was tabled by Punjabi-origin British MP Nadia Whittome in the Parliament, signed by 21 other lawmakers, calling the UK to halt its FTA talks with India in the wake of the ethnic violence in Manipur, The Tribune reported.
The motion also calls on London to raise the issue of human rights violations in Manipur with the Indian government.
Earlier, external affairs minister of India – S Jaishankar – had said that efforts are on to bring back a sense of normalcy in strife-torn Manipur.
Also read: Manipur: Actor Rajkumar Kaiku resigns from BJP over handling of turmoil
Jaishankar said that both the central and Manipur government are working to find a way to ensure return of normalcy in the state.
Notably, Manipur has been on the boil since May 3 after ethnic clashes broke out between the Kuki and Meitei communities in the state.
The ethnic clashes and large-scale violence in Manipur left at least 175 people dead and thousands of other homeless.
The Indian minister also blamed ‘migrants’ for the ‘problem’ of violence in the Northeast state of Manipur.
“…I think one part of the problem in Manipur has been the destabilising impact of migrants who have come,” external affairs minister S Jaishankar said.
Also read: Manipur CM: 27 companies of security forces deployed in Churachandpur
Jaishankar made this remark on Tuesday (September 26) while answering a question on the situation in Manipur at the council on foreign relations in New York.
The Indian minister said: “I think the effort is on the part of the state government and the union government to find a way by which a sense of normalcy returns.”
It may be mentioned here that Manipur, especially the valley areas of the state, is witnessing fresh tensions following the brutal ‘killing’ of two Meitei students by suspected Kuki militants.
