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BJP and Congress lock horns over Manipur Violence: Nadda Criticizes INC Over Handling of the Crisis; Kharge Seeks Presidential Intervention
The fresh wave of violence in Manipur has sparked a political blame game between BJP and Congress, with both parties accusing each other of failing to address the crisis in the northeastern state. BJP president JP Nadda in a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday sharply criticized Congress for pushing a “false and politically motivated” narrative about the unrest in Manipur. His letter comes days after Kharge had called on President Droupadi Murmu to intervene and accused the central government of a complete failure in restoring peace to the region.
Nadda slammed Kharge for seeking the President’s intervention, describing it as an effort to “sensationalize” the situation in Manipur. He pointed out that the recent violence, which marks a continuation of ethnic clashes that began in May last year, is rooted in the Congress’ “abject failure” to handle the state's issues when it was in power. “What is shocking is how repeated attempts are being made by the Congress party to sensationalise the situation in Manipur. It appears that you have forgotten that not only did your government legitimise the illegal migration of foreign militants to India, P Chidambaram the erstwhile Home Minister - had signed treaties with them!”wrote Nadda in his letter.
He further criticized Congress for allegedly fostering a "nexus of foreign forces" that could harm India's progress, and questioned whether this was due to Congress’ hunger for power or a strategy to divide the people and undermine democracy. Nadda also reminded Congress of the violence during its time in power, recalling that under Congress rule, Manipur had experienced some of the bloodiest periods in its history, particularly in the 1990s when thousands were killed, and in 2011 when the state faced a severe blockade lasting over 120 days.
Highlighting the progress under the Modi government, Nadda emphasized how the Northeast has seen improvements in areas like economy, security, healthcare, education, and growth opportunities. He pointed out that people in the region had shown trust in the stability provided by the NDA government, contrasting it with the "false promises" of Congress. Nadda also mentioned significant achievements, including more than 10 peace accords and improved connectivity, which have helped bring the people of the Northeast closer together. In Manipur, he noted, poverty has significantly reduced, with the percentage of people living in multidimensional poverty dropping from over 20% in 2013 to just above 5% in 2022.
On the other hand, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s letter to President Murmu described the situation in Manipur as increasingly dire. He claimed that more than 300 people, including women and children, had been killed, and nearly 100,000 people displaced, leaving them homeless and forced to live in relief camps. He called for immediate intervention from the President to ensure that the people of Manipur could live “peacefully” and “with dignity” in their homes.
In his letter sent to the President on Tuesday, Kharge emphasized that the violence had not only caused severe human suffering but also resulted in the displacement of thousands. He accused the central and state governments of “deliberate acts of omission and commission” and criticized their “inordinate inaction” in handling the crisis. Kharge warned that with each passing day, the people of Manipur were becoming increasingly insecure in their own homes, citing the killing of innocent children and women as evidence of the state’s lawlessness.
“I consider it imperative for you, as the President of India and the custodian of our Constitution, to immediately intervene to ensure the protection of lives and properties of our citizens in Manipur,” Kharge wrote. He expressed confidence that through the President's intervention, peace could be restored, allowing the people of Manipur to live with security and dignity once again.
The ethnic clashes in Manipur has left over 200 people dead and displaced around 60,000 since last year, fresh clashes were seen again this past week. Kharge, in a letter to the President, expressed concern over the "complete failure" of both the central and state governments in restoring peace and stability in Manipur over the past 18 months.
