Imphal: As Manipur marked two years of ongoing ethnic strife, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 3, accusing him of complete apathy toward the state and failing to uphold the principles of ‘Rajdharma’.
In a strongly worded post on X, Kharge questioned the Prime Minister’s continued absence from Manipur, noting that despite multiple appeals and escalating violence, Modi has not visited the conflict-hit state even once since the unrest began on May 3, 2023.
Kharge underlined that while the Prime Minister has made 44 foreign trips and over 250 domestic visits since his last election rally in Manipur in January 2022, he has not “spent a single second” in the state, which continues to suffer from communal unrest. “Why this apathy and disdain for the people of Manipur? Where is the political accountability?” the Congress chief asked.
The Congress leader also referenced a violent clash in Tamenglong district just two days earlier that left 25 injured, reiterating that the situation remains far from normal. He stated that more than 260 lives have been lost and over 68,000 people displaced, with thousands still living in relief camps, deprived of any clear path toward reconciliation or rehabilitation.
Kharge criticized the BJP-led Centre for delaying the imposition of President’s rule, stating it was only implemented after 20 months and under political pressure, when the BJP faced a no-confidence motion and internal dissent over the state’s leadership. “Why did the double engine government fail in its Constitutional duty to provide security and safety for its citizens? Why did you not sack the Chief Minister earlier?” he asked, holding the Centre and the state BJP government jointly responsible for the prolonged crisis.
He further accused the government of mishandling the constitutional process, alleging that President’s rule was imposed “in a hurried manner, at 2 AM,” to cover up administrative failures. He lamented the economic damage Manipur has suffered due to the strife, claiming the state has lost thousands of crores in the last two years, and that recent budget cuts have slashed crucial social spending.
Kharge also questioned the Centre’s sincerity in its promise to bring peace, asking what became of the Peace Committee announced by the Home Minister. “Why didn’t you meet the affected people of all communities even in Delhi? Why didn’t you announce a special package for the state?” he asked.
Concluding his statement, Kharge asserted that Prime Minister Modi has once again failed in upholding ‘Rajdharma’, the guiding principle of fair and just governance, as Manipur continues to suffer in silence.
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