“People’s hearts are broken” RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat questions if Manipur violence was orchestrated by foreign hands to foster secessionist ideas

“How did the violence continue for so long?”, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has questioned if foreign hands had fostered the violence in Manipur to benefit from secessionist ideas. Speaking at a Vijayadashami event in Nagpur, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat has expressed concern about how violence was triggered even with a strong government in the state, indicatively throwing his weight behind the incumbent Chief Minister N Biren Singh. According to Bhagwat, his apprehension is if the violence was orchestrated.

“Peace is coming back to Manipur but how did the violence happen? Manipuri Meitei and Manipuri Kuki have been living together there for long. How could their fight erupt suddenly? It is a border state. Over there when such a secessionist idea emerges, fights erupt between groups, who benefits from that? Foreign powers can also benefit from that. Were they outsiders who created the unrest? There is a strong and active government.” Said Bhagwat.

Violence first erupted at Churachandpur on May 3 and then spread like wild fire dividing the two dominant communities -the Meitei and the Kuki. For over four months the violence has lasted, claiming more than 180 lives and displacing thousands. Union Home Minister Amit Shah while responding to the no-confidence motion in the parliament had hinted towards the sensitivity of the geography. But Bhagwat’s remarks came weeks after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a 51-year-old man from Churachandpur on charges of transnational conspiracy by terror outfits based in Myanmar and Bangladesh to “wage war” against the Government of India by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in Manipur.

“The Home minister went and stayed there for three days. The central government is committed, and the state government doesn’t want such violence yet the violence continues unabated. Whenever normalcy returns, another fire is stoked. Who are these people trying to trigger hatred and divide? Who is trying to fuel the conflict? When we watch this then we realise that it is not happening but being orchestrated. For this lot of work has to be done. People’s hearts have been broken. Now not only peace but the society has to be united”, Bhagwat added while stressing on the long road ahead to rebuild public trust amongst communities.