Congressman writes to Amit Shah, calls for ‘corrective measures’ for peace

New Delhi:

Congress MP from Inner Manipur A Bimol Akoijam has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressing deep concern over the “unprecedented violent crisis” in Manipur and calling for “corrective measures” such as ensuring that the security forces take decisive action to contain the violence. In his letter to Mr Shah on Tuesday, Akoijam also called for a thorough probe into allegations of involvement of illegal immigrants, foreign elements and the illegal drug mafia in the ongoing crisis.

He wrote that the current situation in Manipur brings back memories of the Partition of India in 1947, which is especially painful in view of the recent attempts by the government to declare August 14 as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’. He also said that Shah would be deeply hurt if the same were to happen to Gujarat.

“It is disturbing that such a serious crisis could develop under the current administration,” he said.

“It pains me to remind you that this violence has resulted in the loss of hundreds of precious lives and has left approximately 60,000 people homeless.

“As I write this letter, not only are thousands of displaced people still living in deplorable conditions in refugee camps, but this unprecedented violence has continued unabated to this day,” Mr Akoijam said.

In fact, the violence has taken a dangerous turn with loss of lives and property due to airstrikes, reportedly using armed drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles, the Congressman said in his letter to Mr. Shah.

“In addition, there are reports of extortion and other forms of crime.

As a result, the living conditions of the population and the state’s economy in general have been severely affected by the ongoing violence and lawlessness, he said.

“I often wonder whether such a severe crisis would have been allowed to last so long if it were in so-called ‘mainstream’ or ‘settled’ India (as in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Maharashtra).

“I deeply regret that the lives of the people of Manipur do not seem to matter to this government of India, of which you are a prominent leader,” Mr Akoijam said.

“I am sure you would be deeply hurt if the same thing happened in Gujarat, your own state, just as all other Gujaratis would understandably have felt,” he said.

Mr. Akoijam called for immediate ‘corrective measures’ and other necessary steps to restore peace and normalcy in the state of Manipur.

He urged Mr Shah to ensure that the security forces take decisive and sensible action to contain the violence.

“Investigate reports that security services/forces are acting in a biased manner during the ongoing crisis, and take steps to address the lack of trust and ensure accountability if allegations are proven true,” he wrote in his letter to Mr Shah.

Mr Akoijam called for a rejection of the “exclusivist identity politics that is fuelling the crisis” by stating firmly and categorically that governance reforms can only be considered to ensure that public goods and services are delivered effectively and fairly to the people, rather than “reinforcing exclusive identities that create divisions in society and the political system”.

Mr Akoijam also called for completion of the work of the inquiry commission, which was constituted in June 2023 and is headed by former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Ajai Lamba, and publication of its findings without further delay.

He urged Mr Shah to take concrete steps to address the suffering of displaced people and ensure that they can resettle in their original homelands with dignity and well-being.

He called for restoring the free movement of goods and people on the highways with full security by taking measures including the deployment of sufficient armed forces.

“Furthermore, since Manipur’s economy has been devastated by this violence, the issue of fiscal relief, including tax exemptions, needs to be urgently discussed with the relevant ministry,” he said.

Mr Akoijam also called for a thorough investigation into allegations of involvement of illegal immigrants, foreign elements and the drug mafia in the current crisis.

If this is found to be the case, measures should be taken to monitor and prevent such involvement, he added.

The Congressman said there are necessary institutional and judicious measures needed to distinguish citizens from non-citizens in the state.

Mr. Akoijam also called for a review of existing policies and measures regarding armed groups, especially the controversial Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the “Kuki” armed groups in the state, to ensure that such measures do not become breeding grounds for violence and illegal activities.

He also advocated for establishing a dialogue among the people and starting healing processes to deal with the trauma caused by this unprecedented tragedy in the state.

Mr Akoijam’s comments come amid escalation of violence in Manipur. The state government on Tuesday suspended internet services in five valley districts amid intensified agitation by students.

The decision was taken to curb the use of social media for the transmission of images, hate speech and hate videos, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Prohibitory orders were also imposed in three districts of Manipur. An indefinite curfew, restraining people from stepping out of their homes, was imposed in Imphal East and West districts, while prohibitory orders under Section 163(2) of BNSS were imposed in Thoubal.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands left homeless in fighting between Meitei and Kukis since May last year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)