Manipur issue: If the Manipur ethnic conflict is not resolved soon, it may create security problems for the country, asserted Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday while addressing reporters outside Raj Bhavan. A delegation of opposition INDIA bloc alliance MPs called on Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum on their observations after visiting the northeastern state. After meeting Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, I.N.D.I.A. alliance delegation addressed the media demanding a discussion on the issue in Parliament.
"The Governor has suggested that everyone should work together to find out a solution to the Manipur situation. As soon as we get an opportunity, we will put pressure on the Central government at Parliament and present the issues raised by the people and the deficiencies on the part of the Central government and the state government that we saw in Imphal. We appeal to the government of India to not delay, accept our No Confidence Motion and hold a discussion over the Manipur issue. The situation is worsening and it is raising national security concerns..."
MPs will present their observations in Parliament
"The Governor heard our observations and agreed to those. She expressed sorrow over the incidents of violence and suggested that an all-party delegation should visit Manipur to talk to people to remove mistrust among communities," Chowdhury said that the visiting MPs will present their observations on Manipur in Parliament.
The opposition delegation of 21 MPs arrived in Manipur on Saturday to assess the ground situation and meet victims of the three-month ethnic riots in the state.
"We have requested a discussion on Manipur in Parliament as the situation is deteriorating every day," he said.
On the first day of their two-day whirlwind tour, they visited several relief camps in Imphal, Moirang in Bishnupur district and Churachandpur and met victims of ethnic clashes.
Besides Chowdhury and Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, the delegation includes TMC's Sushmita Dev, JMM's Mahua Maji, DMK's Kanimozhi, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N K Premachandran of RSP, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Aneel Prasad Hegde (JD-U), CPI's P Sandosh Kumar and CPI(M)'s A A Rahim among others.
Violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.
(With PTI inputs)
