Manipur lies ‘forgotten’ by G20-obsessed Centre: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress party on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over its handling of the situation in violence-torn Manipur, alleging that the state has been forgotten by them.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “While the prime minister and his drum-beaters are obsessed with G20, four months after ethnic violence broke out on May 3rd, Manipur lies forgotten by the Modi government”.

“In the last four months, the world has witnessed how the prime minister (Narendra Modi) has failed Manipur during its worst crisis,” he said.

"The Chief Minister has ensured that the Manipuri society is more divided today than ever before. The Union home minister has failed to put an end to the violence and ensure the recovery of arms and ammunition. Instead, many more armed groups have entered the conflict,” he added.

"The Prime Minister refuses to visit Manipur, lead an all-party delegation, or initiate any credible peace process. Has he even met his own colleague from Manipur in the cabinet? In the midst of a humanitarian tragedy, there is a complete and total breakdown of the Constitutional machinery and trust between communities in Manipur."

His remarks come after the Manipur government shifted the last of 10 Kuki families comprising 24 members from Imphal’s New Lambulane area where they had been living for decades and did not move elsewhere even after the ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state four months ago.

These families were taken to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on the northern side of the Imphal Valley early on Saturday, as they had become “vulnerable targets”, an official said.

The Kuki families alleged that they were forcibly evicted from their residences in the New Lambulane area to Motbung.

Hundreds of people have died while thousands were forced to take refuge in relief camps since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 percent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Nagas and Kukis constitute little over 40 percent and reside in the hill districts.

The Congress has slammed the Centre and state government for failing miserably to control the situation in Manipur and also demanded the immediate removal of the Chief Minister.

With inputs from agencies