No roadmap to restore peace in Manipur, alleges Congress leader

Manipur Congress Legislature Party leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh accused the BJP government of lacking a concrete roadmap to restore peace in the violence-hit state. His remarks followed Assembly data stating that the ethnic conflict has claimed 306 lives, with 49 missing

Imphal: Manipur Congress Legislature Party leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh on Saturday said the BJP government has not come up with a roadmap to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn state. The opposition leader’s comment comes after state Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said in the assembly that the ethnic conflict which erupted in May 2023 between the valley-based Meitei and the hill-based Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives, with 49 individuals remaining missing.

Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader alleged, “There is no roadmap for the restoration of peace so far. There is no concrete plan from the state government.” Singh vowed to continue his fight to ensure justice for the violence-hit people in the state. “Day before yesterday, there was a lot of hue and cry in the state assembly while discussing restoration of normalcy and demand for NRC in the state,” he said. Manipur had recently witnessed protests over demand for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the commencement of census exercise.

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The Centre had on Monday deferred the census operations in the northeastern state, considering the demand by civil society organisations. Singh said Congress MLAs have been seeking discussion on the core issues of the state in the assembly. “People’s demand for 1951 as the base year for NRC has been denied by the BJP government,” he alleged.