Imphal: Manipur Congress has slammed the remark of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the prolonged ethnic crisis and demand for reinstatement of the popular government in this president’s rule state.
Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar (Khundrakpam AC) termed Amit Shah’s recent remark on the Manipur crisis— “forming a popular Government in Manipur would be challenging until the differences between the Meitei and Kuki communities are resolved” — nonsensical.
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Talking to the media, Lokeshwar alleged that Amit Shah’s remarks amounted to belittling the people of Manipur, including the BJP MLAs.
He said that the statement of Amit Shah seemed to shift the onus of restoring normalcy onto the people rather than the Government taking responsibility for maintaining law and order to reinstall a popular government in the state.
In the same blood, President of the Imagi Meira, Th Sujata, has urged Amit Shah to retract his remarks characterizing the Manipur crisis as an ethnic conflict.
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She claimed that Kukis are carrying out genocidal campaigns against the Meetei people, resulting in the ongoing crisis.
She alleged that the Central Government’s machinery has been harassing and arresting people who support the idea of Manipur, but fail to take action against criminal activities in Kuki-dominated areas. It appears as if no laws apply in the hills.
Notably, Amit Shah, during a recent interview with a reporter from a national newspaper, stated that the Manipur crisis is purely an ethnic conflict and installing a popular Government in the State would be challenging until there is consensus among the warring groups-Meetei and Kuki.
The ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023, and cost the lives of over 260 with approximately 60,000 people homeless.
The Kukis demand a separate administration from Manipur, whereas the Meiteis advocate for the preservation and coexistence of all communities in the state.