The absence of the PM from the all-party meeting is criticised by opposition parties, who also call for the CM’s dismissal. Why hold an all-party meeting without the prime minister present? Jairam Ramesh, leader of the Congress, enquired.
Image Source: India Post English
The Union government has come under fire from the Congress party for the home minister’s all-party meeting in Manipur, claiming it was “too little, too late”.
Even though violence has been raging in the northeastern state for more than six weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the meeting, according to the Congress, further demonstrated the BJP government’s lack of commitment on the issue.
On Saturday, June 24, Amit Shah convened an all-party meeting. The Congress claimed that Modi’s absence demonstrated his “cowardice and unwillingness to confront his failures”.
“The Prime Minister didn’t say anything. He also turned down invitations to meet with MLAs, political parties, and party members based in Manipur. Why convene an all-party meeting in the absence of the prime minister? What good is it to meet in Delhi when Manipur needs peace and reconciliation? How the prime minister could have disregarded his obligations defies comprehension. Jairam Ramesh, a congressman, said, “It’s weird.”
“The point to note is that PM’s absence from such a crucial meeting depicts his ways of getting out of such an important meeting and his unwillingness to own accountability. Even delegations that wanted to meet with him didn’t have time for him. Since his visit, things have gotten worse since the Home Minister, who has been in charge of this problem, has done nothing to make it better. Can we expect a durable peace under his administration?
According to Congressman K.C. Venugopal, Sonia Gandhi’s speech to the Manipurian populace was the impetus for the government’s awakening. He also expressed his concerns over the Center’s late response towards the Manipur violence, saying when the state has been under violence for more than 2 months now, the meeting is nothing but an illusory meeting.
Image Source: Telegraph India
A crucial first step, according to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is the removal of chief minister N. Biren Singh. Without removing the Biren SIngh administration from the Manipur state, there is no way out of the disaster the North East’s ruling party’s limited and sectarian policies have produced, as the party has done nothing but created a havoc and his incompetent behaviour towards the violence cannot be ignored, according to the CPI(M).
In response to the government’s plans to involve political parties, K C Venugopal, the general secretary in charge of the AICC organization, said, “Well, after 50 days of death and devastation in Manipur, the Home Minister’s demand for an all-party conference is too little too late. The Manipuri people’s statement by Sonia Gandhi Ji was what eventually woke up the administration.
The persistence of the partisan state government and the absence of the President’s Rule, he continued, “is a travesty.”
For the past 50 days, Manipur has been on fire, yet Prime Minister Modi has said nothing. “The Prime Minister of India is out of the country and they call for an all party meeting. It is obvious that the Prime Minister does not value this meeting, stated Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Since May 3, there has been unrest in Manipur, and the state’s citizens have frequently asked the Union government to do more to stop it.
