Imphal: Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh has disclosed that till now the issue of Manipur violence hasn’t been placed in the floor of the Parliament as a topic of discussion. He, however, said the issue was discussed only when the opposition Congress registered a ‘no-confidence motion’ against the Narendra Modi-led Government.
Speaking to The North East Affairs, Dr Ranjan argued the Prime Minister had not come to Manipur as both the public and state government didn’t create an atmosphere for his visit. “Is there any approach from the authority (government) of the state…if did, he would certainly visit Manipur,” he said, citing the list of star BJP campaigners where the name of Modi is mentioned on the top in the upcoming 18th Lok Sabha election.
The Minister further explained that the present violence in Manipur is a clash between two communities in a state. This has to be purely dealt with by the Home Ministry, not necessarily by the Prime Minister’s office. That is why the Home Minister Amit Shah was in the state for three days. Moreover, his junior Home Minister Nityanand Rai visited the state for more than 20 days, he added.
Dr Ranjan said he was the first person who wrote letters to highlight the unfolding crisis in his home state to the Prime Minister and Home Minister. Fortunately, all his requests to the central leaders were immediately granted starting from the deployment of security forces to ex-gratia to be given to the victim families and others. He even proposed to constitute a peace committee to bring normalcy, which was also agreed upon by the central leaders. But he is not so sure whether those things were implemented by the state government; that’s a different question, he continued.
Citing an example where he met people from all communities including Kuki scholars, Naga and Meitei leaders at his Delhi residence to discuss the crisis, the Union Minister said he explained everything to them including our shared histories and cultures and the importance of living together. Unfortunately, his meetings with those people were misinformed as support to the Kukis by some vested interest. Later, a mob came and vandalised and looted his home, he lamented.
On the crisis, the academician-turned-politician said Manipur is a state where more than 33 communities have lived together peacefully for centuries. We have a shared history and culture, even though Meiteis play the leading role. If we want to solve the crisis, we have to sit together and express our misgivings, concerns and grievances. We have to find out the main causes of the crisis, Dr Ranjan added.
