Manipur strife caused by agenda of fuelling communal tensions: Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday (July 22) tweeted that the Manipur ethnic violence was the result of a “vicious agenda of fuelling communal tensions”. He added in a statement that what appeared to be a riot was in fact a “Christian hunt”.

“Horrifying accounts of violence from Manipur have shattered the conscience of every Indian,” tweeted Vijayan. “The ongoing strife in the state is caused by the vicious agenda of fuelling communal tensions. All secular & democratic forces should demand the restoration of peace & normalcy in Manipur,” the tweet added.

Referring to the emergence of a video showing the naked-parading and molestation of two Kuki women in Manipur on May 4, a day after violence broke out in the northeastern state, Vijayan said in a statement that images from the initial days of the violence were emerging now. “The historical division between residents of valleys and hills has been exploited as fuel for the fire,” he added.

While Imphal valley is dominated by the Hindu and non-tribal Meiteis, the surrounding hills are mostly home to the Christian-tribal Kukis.

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Vijayan added that what seems to be a riot is actually a Christian hunt. “A determined effort has been made to assault and demolish churches belonging to Christian tribal groupings,” he stated. The secular, democratic society in the country should realise the Sangh Parivar agenda, which has converted Manipur into a riot zone by sowing hatred, he added.

The Kerala CM said reports suggest that those who have the responsibility of bringing peace to the state are flaring it up. The Sangh Parivar’s divisive goal and the Union government’s criminal silence must be denounced, he added.