TIPA, 2 Nov: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday appealed to the warring Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur to end “trust deficit” by holding a “heart-to-heart” conversation, saying that violence is no solution to any problem.
In his address at an election rally here in Mizoram, Singh said that the violence has not been done by any political party, and that it happened because of certain situations.
“The Northeast has been peaceful in the last nine years. Insurgency has ended in every state. However, we have witnessed unfortunate incidents of violence in Manipur this year that has pained us a lot,” he said.
“Violence is no solution to any problem. What we need is heart-to-heart conversation. I appeal to both the communities (Meitei and Kuki) to sit together and end the trust deficit (between them),” the defence minister said, in comments seen as a fresh attempt by the Centre to bring peace to the troubled state.
Manipur has been witnessing deadly violence since May because of hostilities between Meiteis and Kukis that has left over 180 people dead and hundreds wounded or displaced.
The Manipur crisis has found prominence in the campaign for 7 November assembly election in Mizoram, with both the Congress and the Mizo National Front (MNF) highlighting the situation in the neighbouring state.
“I want to categorically say that it (violence) did not take place because of any political party. It happened because of certain situations,” Singh said.
Several opposition parties have accused the BJP of backing the Meitei community, a charge rejected by the party.
The defence minister also accused the Congress of trying to exploit the situation in Manipur for political gain.
“When the situation in Manipur was deteriorating, Congress tried its best to do politics over it,” he said at the rally in Tipa locality of Siaha district.
“It was told to their political leaders not to go (to Manipur) at that time, but they still went and scratched people’s wounds,” Singh said.
He made similar remarks at another election rally, in Mamit.
“There is a need to keep the entire country, including Mizoram and Northeast, away from the negative politics of Congress,” he added.
The defence minister said that the Narendra Modi government “believes that unless Northeast is truly developed, the dream of a strong, prosperous and self-reliant India will not be fulfilled.”
In his address, Singh said that an operation to ensure a drug-free Mizoram will be rolled out if the BJP comes to power in the state.
“We will launch operation ‘Drug-free Mizoram’ to curb drug addiction among youths across the state,” he said, and also referred to the use of the Air Force in Mizoram by the Congress government at the Centre in 1966.
“I compliment you for maintaining unity and national integrity in the face of adversity,” Singh said.
“When Congress was ruling at the Centre, they carried out the country’s first air strike on Mizoram. Now, BJP is in power and we will never do such things,” he said, recalling the episode of 1966 when the Indian Air Force carried out a strike in Aizawl.
The strike was carried out targeting some militants.
The defence minister said that the BJP would change the development landscape of Mizoram if it comes to power in the state.
“The BJP is synonymous with development and governance. We are here to provide Mizoram a new kind of politics that is based on good governance, development and welfare of the people. We believe in justice to all and appeasement of none,” he added.
The elections for the 40-seat Mizoram assembly will be held on 7 November and the result will be announced on 3 December.
The key players in the election are the ruling MNF, the Zoram People’s Movement, the Congress and the BJP.
The MNF and the BJP used to share a cordial relationship. However, the parties are fighting with each other in the upcoming polls.
The BJP is looking at its maiden entry into the next Mizoram government after it dramatically expanded its presence in the majority of the northeastern states in the last few years.
At present, the party is in power in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Manipur, and it emerged as a crucial player in Nagaland. (PTI)