Cruel to hide behind smokescreen of odious comparisons: Cong to BJP over Manipur

Ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur on May 3 and since then hundreds of people have lost their lives whereas thousands have been forced to take refuge in the relief camps. 

New Delhi: Congress on Sunday launched an attack on the BJP-led Centre over Manipur saying it is callous and cruel when it hides behind the smokescreen of odious comparisons with incidents of other states and the state government has collapsed while the central government is in “self induced coma”.

Hitting out at the government, Congress leader P. Chidambaram said, “Let’s admit that there were incidents of violence against women in Bihar, West Bengal and Rajasthan. How does that excuse the continuing and relentless violence in Manipur? Are there any Kukis left in the valley? Are there any Meiteis left in Churachandpur and other hill districts of Manipur? If reports are true, ethnic cleansing is almost complete in Manipur.

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On an objective assessment, there is a collapse of Constitutional government in Manipur.”

“The writ of the chief minister and his ministers does not run beyond their homes and offices. How can the situation in Manipur be compared to the situation in Bihar, West Bengal and Rajasthan? The central government has not only been incompetent and partisan, it is callous and cruel when it hides behind the smokescreen of odious comparisons,” the former Union minister said.

Slamming the government for comparing incidents of rapes in Bihar, West Bengal, Rajasthan, he said, “If stern action is required in Bihar, West Bengal and Rajasthan, certainly instruct the state governments to take stronger action, but that does not excuse the barbarism that is taking place in Manipur. The Government of Manipur has collapsed. The Government of India is in a self-induced coma.”

On Thursday, on the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his pain and anger over the Manipur incident and said the gruesome incident with the women in the Northeastern state is very shameful, and can never be forgiven.

He said, “This incident is an insult for the entire nation as it has shamed 140 crore countrymen. The incident which happened with the women in Manipur can never be forgiven. I assure the countrymen that no one will be spared.”

However he went on to club incidents of violence in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh (both Congress-ruled states) also in his statement.

“The incident might be from Rajasthan,Chhattisgarh or Manipur, the culprit should not go scot-free in any corner of the country,” the prime minister said.

Ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur on May 3 and since then hundreds of people have lost their lives whereas thousands have been forced to take refuge in the relief camps.

A video of May 4 of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur went viral on July 19 leading to widespread condemnation across the country.