Congress accuses PM Modi of playing politics over Manipur's plight

New Delhi: Congress on Friday again targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of playing politics over the plight of the people of Manipur and demanded for immediate removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh and imposing President’s Rule in the northeastern state.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Pramod Tiwari, Deputy Leader of the Rajya Sabha said: “Modi government does not want a discussion on the issue in the Parliament because they are guilty of incompetence, conspiratorial abetment to violence, rank apathy and negligence and above all - culpable of inflicting heinous inhumane crimes on the people of Manipur by looking the other way, while Manipur burned for 80 days.”

Tiwari said that the lack of personal outreach and leadership of the Prime Minister was not surprising or shocking.

Hitting out at Modi, the Congress leader said: “The people of Manipur are begging the Prime Minister to intervene, but he has only shown his back to the people. In his 30-second statement over the Manipur video he sought to put the blame for his government’s incompetence on the 140 crore people of India.

“Why should we be ashamed? It is the BJP who should be ashamed? It is you, Modi, who should be ashamed? He also sought to make a false equivalence with Congress-ruled states.

“Are riots happening in Rajasthan or Chhattisgarh for the last 80 days? Are villages being burnt in these states? Are 50,000 people living in relief camps in these states? Are armed militant rebel groups firing on each other by looting 4500 serious weapons in these states?” Tiwari questioned.

He also alleged that whatever happened in Rajasthan was done by three ABVP goons – and they were arrested within two hours straight.

“While for the Manipur government it took 77 days to arrest four people out of a mob of 1000 people,” the Congress leader said.

Meanwhile, Pawan Khera, Chairman of Media and Publicity department of the party also hit out at the BJP-led state government and said that CM Biren Singh exposed his own government’s rank incompetence on TV by saying that “hundreds of similar cases have happened, that is why internet was banned… “

Khera also highlighted that Manipur’s Governor Anusuiya Uikey, who is also the chairman of the Peace Committee in Manipur, appointed by the Union Home Ministry, belatedly ‘Pulled Up the DGP of Manipur after the ghastly video was out yesterday.

He said that in an interview Uikey sought to suggest that the police complaint was not filed in the police station in the district in which the crime took place.

“Does this mean that the police did not deliberately act on the violence which broke after May 3. The video is from the next day on May 4. Does it mean that the state administration and the police were hand in glove with the mob, when the incident took place?” the Congress leader asked.

He also said that the Governor, being the Chairman of the Peace Committee announced on June 10, should have made efforts to start a dialogue among warring ethnic groups, but this has not happened.

Congress leader said: “If PM Modi is outraged on Manipur, he should first immediately sack his Manipur CM. Modi did not speak for 77 days, but when he spoke for 30 seconds, he played politics on the plight of the women victims subjected to unspeakable horror.”

He also questioned why was the Manipur government, Home Ministry, PMO, WCD Minister, NCW, NHRC sleeping on Manipur for so long.

He also demanded that Modi should immediately make a detailed statement on Manipur in the Parliament and the BJP should not run away from debate.