Manipur CM attacks Cong, asks if ex-PM Narasimha Rao visited state during ethnic crisis in '90s

Imphal, Jan 23 (PTI) Attacking the Congress over its oft-repeated demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit strife-torn Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday asked whether the party’s the then PM PV Narasimha Rao did it when the state was affected by another ethnic crisis in the 1990s.

The chief minister also accused the grand old party of creating problems in Manipur and blaming it on the BJP-led government in the state.

"Did Prime Minister Narashima Rao visit the state during ethnic clashes between Nagas and Kukis between 1992 and 1997, or during the violence between Paites and Kukis (in 1997). More than 1000 innocent lives were lost then,” Singh told reporters here.

Rao of the Congress party was the Prime Minister from June 21, 1991, to May 16, 1996.

Alleging that the Congress is not allowing its MPs in Manipur to speak in Parliament, he asserted that the opposition party is playing politics over the situation in the state.

“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, the state is improving day by day. The law and order situation is improving. They (central government) are doing everything people demands,” he said.

“We want a concrete resolution to the ongoing conflict. These are not merely political issues. These chronic issues were created by the Congress and now they are blaming us. God and people will not forgive them," Singh said.

On the statement of Kiren Rijiju, Union minister and BJP leader of Arunachal Pradesh, that the Kuki-Meitei conflcit has tarnished the image of the northeast, Singh said the matters of Manipur are not known to all.

“The issue of the state is known to those who have kept the state in their heart like the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah)… It was his (Rijiju’s) personal view," the CM said.

To a query on the JD(U)’s Manipur unit writing a letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday about withdrawing support to the BJP-led state government, Singh quipped: "As I have said, what we do, we get the results of it." Shortly after JD(U) state president Ksh Biren Singh sent the letter, the party’s central leadership sacked him, in a bid to quell growing speculation about the party's ties with the BJP.

Manipur has been in the grip of violence between Meitei and Kuki communities since May 3, 2023, leaving over 250 people dead and thousands homeless. While Meiteis live mainly in the Imphal valley, the Kukis are based in the hills.

Singh also said that people could not visit various places earlier but now the situation has improved.

“We have relaunched our 'go to hills' mission. Recently, we went to Senapati, Kamjong and Tengnoupal districts. A Cabinet meeting was held in Tamenglong district yesterday. We also launched around Rs 300 crore worth of projects there under the guidance of the Prime Minister. People are very happy,” he said. PTI COR NN