Asim Kamal & Sumir Kaul
NEW DELHI, 22 Sep: Amid the lingering crisis in Manipur, Congress MP A Bimol Akoijam raises pointed questions over the Centre’s “inaction,” suggesting that such a situation would not have been left unaddressed if it happened in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
In an interview with PTI Videos, Akoijam vehemently criticised the Centre’s handling of the situation in Manipur, asking why the government of India is allowing the state to become like Afghanistan, which he described as a “banana republic.”
“With 60,000 troops stationed in Manipur, the central government should have prevented this crisis from persisting for so long,” Akoijam stated.
“If this were happening in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, or Madhya Pradesh, would it have been allowed to linger? Most people would say no,” he added.
Akoijam urged the Centre to thrash out the issues in the state government, claiming that BJP MLAs are speaking in two different voices on the issue of separate administration.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have called his MLAs and ministers and said ‘this should not happen in India. Manipur is not a part of any banana republic, I will not allow this to happen, talk it out, what is the problem’,” Akoijam said.
Representatives of some Kuki groups in Manipur last month demanded the creation of a union territory with a legislature along the lines of Puducherry, saying it is the only way out of the strife.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, however, has emphatically rejected the demand.
Akoijam, who represents the Inner Manipur constituency in the Lok Sabha, emphasised that, while he views Singh as a “small-time player” in the overarching crisis, he could not be completely absolved of responsibility.
“The government of India is squarely responsible for the crisis,” he alleged.
He further criticised the chief minister’s inconsistent statements regarding the crisis and said they have been contradictory and confusing, rather than clarifying the situation on the ground.
“From the outset, there have been numerous statements – sometimes claiming narco-terrorism is involved, other times asserting it is not, and occasionally suggesting foreign elements are at play. This inconsistency has muddied the waters regarding the true nature of the problem,” he said.
Akoijam also lamented the loss of confidence in security forces, including the police. “When trust in state institutions erodes, it calls into question the legitimacy of the state,” he said.
On the possibility of restoring peace and facilitating movement between communities in Manipur, Akoijam expressed scepticism, noting that the situation is far more complex than other historical conflicts in the country. (PTI)
