Regional

New Delhi/Imphal, Dec 9 (IANS) The INDIA Bloc parties from Manipur on Monday held a sit-in protest in Delhi demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the violence-hit-state and resolve the 19-month-long ethnic hostilities at the earliest.

The leaders of the 10-party INDIA bloc while addressing the gathering at Jantar Mantar in the national capital claimed that both the Centre and the state government failed to resolve the ethnic crisis even as the lives of the people were devastated due to the uninterrupted violence.

The INDIA bloc leader also demanded to sack Chief Minister N Biren Singh for his “complete failure” to deal with the riots between Meitei and the Koki-Zo-Hmar community.

Many opposition leaders, including Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and CPI General Secretary D Raja among others participated in the protest.

Ramesh said that Manipur has been inflicted with unprecedented turmoil, continuous curfew, internet ban, high price rise of all commodities, unavailability of medicines, continuous violence, highways blockade, rising extortion, all forms of violent threats and disturbances, complete lawlessness and chaos, complete violation of right to life and right to properties, loss of life, and complete disarray of hope for the youth and total obstruction to the smooth functioning of schools, colleges, universities, and professional institutions in Manipur.

The INDIA Bloc, Manipur, resolves to press for the four demands to the President of India and the Prime Minister, he said in a post on the X.

The demands include the Prime Minister visiting Manipur urgently for an immediate restoration of peace and normalcy in the state without affecting the territorial integrity of Manipur.

“Chief Minister of Manipur should be immediately sacked for allowing Manipur to keep burning for the last 19 months. Further, until peace and normalcy are restored, the INDIA Bloc, Manipur will continue the democratic struggle to bring peace and normalcy to the state. We solemnly declare that we will work together hand in hand irrespective of caste, creed, community, and ethnicity to strengthen the bond of love, unity, and integrity in Manipur,” the Congress leader said.

Manipur Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh, state CLP leader Okram Ibobi, K. Ranjit, Lokeshwar Singh, Surjakumar Singh, all Congress MLAs of the state, Manipur CPI (M) leader Kshetrimayum Shanta among others attended the protest.

CPI leader D. Raja questioned the Central government’s commitment to national unity, highlighting the silence of PM Modi on the Manipur crisis.

The 10-party INDIA bloc in Manipur on December 6 also urged the Prime Minister to visit Manipur, at the earliest convenience or hold talks with political parties from the state in New Delhi.

The bloc, led by the Congress, submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on December 6, requesting Modi to visit Manipur to resolve the 19-month-long ethnic conflict.

Meanwhile, around 20 civil society organisations and student bodies from Imphal Valley have announced plans to hold a rally in Delhi on December 22.

--IANS

sc/dan