Kerala Congress (M) seeks JPC probe into Manipur violence

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: Kerala Congress (M) supremo and Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani on Wednesday sought a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the ongoing violence in Manipur and wanted the Parliament to discuss the issue in its next session.

What happened in Manipur was not just a clash that broke out between people but a "planned genocide" similar to the one which had happened during the time of partition of the country, he alleged.

He was speaking at a press conference in New Delhi after visiting the violent-hit areas of the north-eastern state in the last two days.

Mani met the media along with Thomas Chazhikkadan MP, vice chairman of KC (M), a key partner in the ruling CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front.

"The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) should probe the planned ethnic violence that has been continuing in Manipur for the last two months," he said.

The Parliament session, beginning on July 20, should discuss the issue after stopping other businesses, he further said.

The MP said his party was raising the demand after understanding the real situation in Manipur during the two-day visit there.

Expressing apprehension that the investigation panels, appointed by the state and Union governments, would not bring out truth, Mani said it would be possible only through a JPC probe.

He wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his continuing silence on the matter and take immediate steps to provide compensation and rehabilitation for the people hit by violence.

He also requested the Centre to announce a special package to rebuild the destroyed places of worship in the north eastern state.