NEW DELHI: Jairam Ramesh, MP and Congress general secretary, on Wednesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Manipur made in Rajya Sabha and said that the north-eastern state has been burning and the PM has still not visited the state and the not met CM, the state leaders.
Speaking to ANI, Ramesh spoke on the Manipur issue and said, "Whatever our non-biological PM has said in the Rajya Sabha regarding Manipur, is completely contrary to reality. Since May 3, 2023, Manipur has been burning, and there is tension between different communities. There has been violence. Hundreds have been killed, and thousands have been displaced."
He added further, "And when the Supreme Court says that constitutional machinery has finished, the PM is silent. Till date, the PM has not gone to Manipur. Before today, he didn't say a word regarding Manipur and today too, he was forced to say. It's been 16 months but the PM hasn't visited Manipur, he hasn't met Manipur's CM, he hasn't talked to Manipur's political parties and the leaders... What is this hypocrisy?"
Further coming down heavily on PM, Ramesh said that the Prime Minister said only two to three words regarding Manipur and the words he spoke were completely contrary to the reality. "The people of Manipur are asking why the PM is not coming," he added.
"He keeps on visiting so many countries. He has declared himself 'Vishwaguru' but he does not go to Manipur. During the election campaign, he went to Tripura, Assam. Manipur is between them and he could have gone for some time but he didn't go," he asserted.
Notably, Narendra Modi on Wednesday affirmed that the central government is making efforts to normalize the situation in the north-eastern state of Manipur, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since last year. The Prime Minister was replying to the debate on 'Motion of Thanks' on the President's address in the Rajya Sabha.
"The government is continuously making efforts to normalize the situation in Manipur. More than 11,000 FIRs have been registered and over 500 people arrested. Incidents of violence are continuously reducing in Manipur", PM Modi said.
He further said that the central and the state governments are establishing interactions with all stakeholders to restore peace.
"Today, schools, colleges, offices and other institutions are open in the state. The Central and the State government are talking to all stakeholders to restore peace", he said. Giving a strong response to the opposition on the Manipur issue, PM Modi further attacked the Congress party stating that it had imposed President's rule in Manipur 10 times.
The northeastern state has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 3 last year following clashes during a rally organized by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.
Talking about the 2024 general election results, the Congress general secretary targeted PM Modi and said, "If the Congress has not got a majority, the PM should remember that even he has not got the majority. The 2024 elections are his personal defeat, political defeat, and moral defeat. He did not get the mandate.... Without two 'N'-Nitish (JDU chief Nitish Kumar) and Naidu (TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu), he would not have become PM. They stopped at 240. It is true that he has become PM for the third time but he has not gotten the mandate. Jawarhal Nehru had gotten a 2/3rd mandate for three consecutive times."
Speaking about Congress's performance, Ramesh said that this election is like booster dose for them. "Our government was not formed. In some states, our performance was disappointing. But overall, the results of these elections are a booster dose for us. The biggest thing is that the person who gave the slogan of 400 paar, the person who asked for the mandate, today that same non-biological person has suffered a political, moral, and personal defeat..."
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured a total of 240 seats. Despite this being fewer than anticipated, the BJP maintained a decisive lead over the opposition Congress, which garnered 99 seats. (ANI)
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