Cong responds to all-party meet called by Shah, demands peace efforts in Manipur

The all-party meeting convened by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the Manipur situation was termed as “too little, too late,” by the Congress party on Thursday (June 22).

The Congress reiterated that efforts to bring warring factions on the discussion table will lack seriousness if they are done sitting in Delhi.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the entire nation expects a serious intervention from the Union Government.

Also Read: Manipur violence: Home Minister Amit Shah calls all-party meet on June 24

“Any effort for peace must take place in Manipur, where the warring communities are brought on the discussion table and a political solution is arrived at. This effort will lack seriousness if it is done sitting in Delhi,” he said on Twitter.

After 50 days of death and destruction in Manipur, he said, “Home Minister Amit Shah’s call for an all-party meeting is too little, too late”.

The government only woke up after Sonia Gandhi’s address to the people of Manipur, he said.

Shah has called an all-party meeting on the situation in Manipur on June 24.

Also Read: Manipur HC directs state govt to provide limited internet service

“At the outset, the PM’s absence from such a serious meeting shows his cowardice and unwillingness to confront his failures. Even when multiple delegations sought meetings with him, he had no time for them,” the Congress leader alleged.

Noting that the Home Minister himself has presided over this situation and made no progress, he said in fact things have “worsened” since his visit.

“Can we expect genuine peace under his stewardship,” he asked.

“Moreover, the continuation of the partisan state government and non-implementation of President’s Rule is a travesty,” Venugopal charged.

Also Read: Manipur: Congress asks Modi if he ‘outsourced’ appeal for peace to RSS

The Congress has been seeking the Centres immediate intervention in bringing peace to the north eastern state which has been struck by violence since May 3.

The party has also blamed the alleged divisive politics of the BJP for the current situation in Manipur.

Violent clashes broke out in Manipur after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

So far, nearly 120 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 are injured.

Shah had also visited the state for four days last month and met a cross section of people in his efforts to bring back peace in the northeastern state.

(With agency inputs)