Congress on Saturday demanded the removal of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh over the violence that has hit the state for over a month, saying “peace is not possible in the state under him”. Former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh presented an eight-point charter of demands at the all-party mean which mentioned the immediate removal of incumbent CM Biren Singh. The meeting was convened by Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Our demand is the immediate removal of the CM of Manipur, without which no progress can made towards peace and normalcy in Manipur.”
After the meeting, Okram Ibobi Singh said it was “unfortunate” he was given more time to put forth his views. Attacking the prime minister, Okram Ibobi Singh said the meeting should have been chaired by PM Modi who, the Congress leader said, “has not said a single word on Manipur in the past 50 days”.
“This all-party meeting would have been better had it been chaired by the prime minister and held in Imphal. This would have sent a clear message to the people of Manipur that their pain and distress are also a matter of national anguish,” Okram Ibobi Singh said.
The former Manipur chief minister said, “The state government has failed miserably in providing effective governance when it is needed most. The chief minister himself has admitted publicly twice his failure to handle the situation and deal with the crisis. He has also asked for the forgiveness of the people. The chief minister should be replaced immediately.”
When asked about whether Home Minister Amit Shah presented a peace roadmap for Manipur, his response was negative. “The Congress and some other parties also demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to Manipur and we hope that the prime minister will hold a similar meeting after his return from abroad,” he said.
Congress later addressed a press conference and demanded that the grievances of all the communities must be addressed. “A package of relief, rehabilitation, resettlement, and livelihood for the affected people must be prepared without delay. The relief package announced is grossly inadequate,” Jairam Ramesh said.
In a tweet after the presser, Jairam Ramesh said, “The all-party meeting organised by the Home Minister today was just an eye-wash and a formality.”
“As the principal Opposition party, our representative the senior most leader from Manipur, 3-time elected CM Okram Ibobi Singh, was not allowed to present his points representing the pain and anguish of the people of Manipur,” he said.
(With agency inputs)
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Updated: 24 Jun 2023, 10:16 PM IST
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