New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he has “betrayed” the people of Manipur, and his “stoic silence” had cost lives in the northeastern state.On Saturday, June 10, Kharge took to Twitter to lash out at the Union government and its alleged failure to bring peace to the state, where ethnic violence killed nearly 100 people.“@narendramodi ji, 3rd May 2023 – Violence first broke out in Manipur. It took almost a month for you to send the Union Home Minister to the state. 8 days after Home Minister’s departure, violence continues in Manipur. For a proponent of the so-called ‘Act East’ policy for Northeast India, your stoic silence on violence in Manipur is rubbing salt in the wounds of its people. As the Prime Minister, the least you could have done is appeal for peace. You have betrayed Manipur!” the Congress leader said..@narendramodi ji,3rd May 2023 – Violence first broke out in Manipur.It took almost a month for you to send the Union Home Minister to the state.8 days after Home Minister’s departure, violence continues in Manipur.For a proponent of the so-called ‘𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭’… pic.twitter.com/FfMTAxR60c— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 10, 2023The Congress president blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) “divisive politics” for the present state of affairs in the northeastern state.Meanwhile, the Union government on Saturday, June 10, constituted a Peace Committee in Manipur to facilitate a peace-making process among various ethnic groups in the violence-hit northeastern state. With state governor Anusuiya Uike as its head, the committee will have the chief minister, a few state ministers, MPs, MLAs, and leaders from various political parties as its members.A day before, on Friday, June 9, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the recent ethnic violence that rocked the state. It had re-registered six FIRs pertaining to incidents of large-scale violence leading to destruction and looting of properties, arson, looting/snatching of arms/ammunition, loss of human lives, etc., in various districts of Manipur. The SIT will be headed by a DIG rank officer and will have 10 officers as its members.
