All parties to come together to tackle the situation in Manipur, feared to be on the brink of civil war
In what seems to be the central government’s first outreach effort and action on the issue, Home Minister Amit Shah has convoked an all-party meeting to address the exacerbating situation in Manipur on June 24, 2024. The call for a meeting comes amid criticisms from different Opposition parties on the inability of the state government to control the violence as well as the silence of the central government on the matter.Â
PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the US without any comment or discussion with the concerned about strife in Manipur, despite the Opposition parties having written a letter to Modi seeking his urgent intervention a few days ago , has added fuel to the criticisms, with the Trinamool Congress questioning the visit and making allusions to the PM evading his responsibility. Three delegates, two of BJP and one of Congress, have been waiting for an audience with the Prime Minister since June 10, but Modi’s visit to the US has dashed their hopes.
Sonia Gandhi, in a video message, stated that the situation in Manipur was ‘heartbreaking’, and appealed for peace and harmony in the state, saying that the persistent violence between communities that had coexisted peacefully for so long has ‘left a deep wound on the conscience of the nation’.
Image Source: Indian Express
The CPI-M has labeled the BJP government’s divisive policies to be the culprit of dissent and violence in the state, and has given a call for the removal of the Biren Singh government.
President of the Nationalist Congress Party, Mr. Sharad Pawar also slammed the central government over its inaction to stem the violence and advised the PM to focus on internal situations and make adequate use of resources to bring back stability in Manipur.
Congress on Manipur violence and the meeting
The silence of the centre has also invited Congress ire. The Congress has deemed the all-party meet ‘too little, too late’ and a futile exercise, criticizing the initiative on two main points – it happening in Delhi, and in the absence of PM Modi. The Congress emphasized that any effort for peace should take place in Manipur itself, where the communities in conflict should be included in the discussions.  Â
It also criticized the timing of the meet, coming after 50 days of continuous clashes, and said that the nation expects at least a meeting convened by the Prime Minister taking place in Manipur.
Despite the criticisms, it is true that some form of governmental action is long overdue to stop the continuing spate of violence. The people of Manipur are dying, and desperately awaiting help for normalcy to return to their lives again. If concrete action is the outcome of this all-party meet, then it is always welcome. All parties should keep their differences aside, and convene together, giving priority to provide respite to the people of Manipur.
