Under BJP, Manipur neither 'ek' nor 'safe': Mallikarjun Kharge

NEW DELHI: Amid fresh violence in Manipur, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday alleged that the ruling BJP wants the border state to burn as it serves its divisive politics. Rahul Gandhi expressed concern over the bloodshed and urged PM Narendra Modi to visit the state and try for reconciliation.

Mocking Modi's slogan "ek hain to safe hain", Kharge said, "Under your double engine govts, neither is Manipur 'ek', nor is it 'safe'." "Since May 2023, it is undergoing unimaginable pain, division, and simmering violence, which have destroyed the future of its people. We are saying it with utmost responsibility that it looks that BJP deliberately wants Manipur to burn, for it serves its hateful divisive politics," he said.

Rahul said that the recent string of violent clashes and continuing bloodshed in Manipur is deeply disturbing. "After more than a year of division and suffering, it was the hope of every Indian that the central and state govts would have made every effort at reconciliation and found a solution. I urge the PM once again to visit Manipur and work towards restoring peace and healing in the region," he said.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said, "When even ruling party MLAs are not safe in Manipur, how can the ordinary citizens have any hope for peace? The crisis has spiralled out of control simply because of the PM and home minister's active choice to fuel the politics of hatred. The HM is busy campaigning, while the PM is off to yet another foreign visit while Manipur burns again."

The Congress president said even if Modi visits Manipur in the future, the people of the state "will never forgive or forget" that he left them to fend for themselves.