Kharge questions Modi, Shah over failure to restore peace in Manipur

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah over the failure to restore peace in Manipur, the displacements and the lack of accountability in the ethnic violence-hit state.

In a post on X, he called the continuing bloodshed in the strategically vital border state a grave indictment of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s failure to ensure law and order, protect constitutional rights and safeguard national security.

Kharge’s comments came on the day a bandh called against the killing of a 45-year-old Kuki man the day before paralysed the Kangpokpi district amid a spike in ethnic violence in Manipur. It coincided with the second and last day of a shutdown in Imphal Valley against the killing of three Meiteis in an ambush in Imphal East on Monday.

The ambush was the first incident of violence between Meiteis and Kukis after July 13. At least 50 people have died in the state over the last few months, mostly in Naga-Kuki clashes.

Kharge questioned the status of the Peace Committee Shah constituted in June 2023. He asked what steps had been taken to protect people and address security challenges. He asked what action was taken on the recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Gita Mittal committee to improve conditions for displaced people. “Why are thousands of people still displaced, even as the Supreme Court has flagged unnatural deaths in relief camps?”

In September, the Supreme Court expressed shock over 34 unnatural deaths at the camps for internally displaced people, questioning the state’s failure to pursue investigations by registering criminal cases and conducting post-mortems.

The three-member court-appointed Justice (retd) Mittal-led committee, overseeing relief and rehabilitation in Manipur, told the bench that it found the chief secretary’s response unsatisfactory after it sought it following a news report in June on the unnatural deaths of 25 IDPs in camps, including one after a sexual assault.

Kharge sought details of measures to ensure the safety, dignity and rehabilitation of women, children and displaced families. “Since May 2023, over 300 precious lives have been lost, while 24,530 are forced to be in relief camps in pathetic conditions,” Kharge said. He added that the imposition of President’s Rule and the return of a BJP-led government failed to restore peace. “After more than three years, over 300 deaths, President’s Rule and a change of Chief Minister, who will take responsibility for this monumental failure of governance?”

He said the Union government’s response to the crisis was particularly important given Manipur’s strategic location along the international border. “Manipur deserves justice, dignity, constitutional rights and lasting peace.”

He added that the state’s security and stability could not be held hostage to the BJP’s political expediency. “How many more innocent lives must be lost before the Prime Minister and Home Minister act?”

The ethnic clashes first broke out between the dominant Meitei and tribal Kuki communities in May 2023 and have left at least 306 people dead since 2023.

A breakdown of law and order led to the creation of ethnic enclaves and displaced 66,000 people. On May 13, four people, including three church leaders, were killed in a twin ambush in Kangpokpi. On the same day, 48 civilians from the Kuki and Naga communities were taken hostage from both groups.

Two days later, 14 people from each community were released. But 14 Kukis and six Nagas remained in captivity. After 27 days of protest and appeals for unconditional release of the hostages, 14 Kukis were released on June 9. But on June 10, mutilated bodies of six Naga hostages were recovered, fuelling tensions.