TMC at all-party meeting: The Trinamool Congress on Saturday (June 24) demanded an all-party delegation to be sent to violence-hit Manipur within a week and asked if the Centre was ‘trying to turn Manipur into Kashmir’.
In a statement at the all-party meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the Manipur situation, TMC MP Derek O'Brien who represented his party accused the Centre of ‘ignoring’ the needs of the people of the northeastern state.
Leaders of various political parties including the BJP, Congress, TMC, left parties, and others are taking part in the meeting which began after 3 pm today.
'Government failed miserably'
The TMC said that the government has ‘failed miserably’ in containing the violence and said that when Manipur is affected, the entire northeast is affected.
"Manipur is in a treacherous situation, and the Union Government has failed miserably. When Manipur burns, Assam is affected, Meghalaya is affected, the entire North-East is affected. The whole nation is affected. Is the Union Government trying to turn Manipur into Kashmir?," the party said.
It said that over 4,000 houses have been destroyed while 4000 people have been displaced. "There is complete a collapse of the constitutional machinery in the State," the party alleged.
TMC said that the Home Minister’s visit to Manipur was much delayed as it took place a month after the breakout of the violence.
"He did not meet the people on the streets who have been affected, who are living through the trauma. The three-day visit by the Home Minister did not improve the situation at all. In fact, it deteriorated after that," it said.
Demands all-party delegation to be sent to Manipur
TMC alleged that the party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought permission to visit Manipur, however, she did not receive any response from the Home Minister.
"To boost the confidence of the people of Manipur and to provide the healing touch, the All India Trinamool Congress demands that an all-party delegation be sent to Manipur, in the next one week. The message till now from the Union Government has been one of ignoring; that needs to change to healing, caring, restoring peace and harmony," the statement said.
"Peaceful resolution can be achieved only through discussions involving all stake-holders. By regaining the confidence of the people in Manipur, and the North-East. The conflict, which began as an ethnic issue, has now taken a sharp communal turn," it further alleged.
Amit Shah chairs meet
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired an all-party meeting today (June 24) in the national capital to discuss the situation in Manipur.
As Manipur is still witnessing incidents like arson since May 3, the state government has extended the ban on the internet by five more days till June 25 (Sunday) with immediate effect in an effort to prevent further disturbance to peace. The data services have also been banned in view of the persisting unrest in the state.
(With PTI inputs)
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