Modi government plans counter-offensive against opposition’s Manipur complaints amid Parliament ruckus

With the Congress-led opposition making Manipur the main plank of their attack, the Centre is pulling up previous incidents under the rule of their main rival. According to a Times of India report, sources said that the government is planning to bring up the Naga-Kuki clashes – which claimed 750 lives – between 1993-1998 and led to the destruction of 350 villages.

Eight months of these four years saw “active violence,” while sporadic killings continued till 1998.

According to records, clashes between the Kukis and Paites saw 352 deaths in the 15 month period of June 1997-September 1998. 13,000 people were displaced with 50 villages destroyed.

Other talking points on the BJP’s agenda include the Meitei-Pangal clash of May 1993 which left 100 dead, Kuki-Tamil clashes in Moreh in 1995 which claimed nine lives and forced 9,000 of the 13,000 strong Tamil populace in the town to leave.

The Centre is also set to highlight the role of the police, with records pointing to 1,728 “reported fake encounters” during the 15 years of Congress rule under former CM O Ibobi Singh. “They were so brazen and persistent that the SC ordered an investigation,” a BJP leader told TOI. He also pointed to the recurrent blockades during Congress rule, especially between 2010 and 2017.“The protests, which brought life to a standstill and sent prices of essential commodities soaring, ranged from 30 days to as many as 139 days during those years and yet failed to provoke any response from either the then PM or the UPA chief,” a TOI source said.

Pitting itself against the Congress’ record, the BJP is set to contrast the “infamous” routine with the fact that not a single blockade was organised in their rule.

They are also expected to argue that the BJP government swiftly responded to the eruption of violence in May by dispatching forces and by getting essentials out to the people immediately.