In a concerning development, an opposition delegation of 21 MPs from the Congress party visited Manipur to assess the ground situation and meet victims of the three-month-long ethnic riots in the state. The delegation, which arrived in Manipur on Saturday, expressed grief and shock after witnessing the deplorable conditions in government-allotted relief camps.
Congress MP Phulodevi Netam, a part of the I.N.D.I.A. delegation, revealed distressing details about the conditions in the relief camps. According to her, around 400-500 people were crammed into a single hall, deprived of basic amenities like proper food and sanitary facilities. She mentioned that the state government was providing them with only dal-chawal (lentils and rice), leaving children without adequate nutrition for the entire day. Furthermore, there were no toilet or bathroom facilities available, making the living conditions for the displaced people highly dire.
The MPs questioned the need for relief camps if the government’s claim that the state was peaceful was indeed true. The camps had been established over the past three months during the ethnic riots, but with the situation allegedly peaceful, there were concerns about the necessity of continuing such camps.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that if the ethnic conflict in Manipur is not addressed promptly, it could lead to security problems for the country. Following their visit, the MPs submitted a memorandum on their observations to Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan. The Governor expressed her sorrow over the incidents of violence and suggested the formation of an all-party delegation to visit Manipur and engage in dialogue with the affected communities, aiming to restore trust and ameliorate the situation.
The situation in Manipur has also reached the Parliament, causing disruptions and adjournments due to the heated discussions surrounding a viral video that emerged from the state. The video depicted two women allegedly being paraded naked, leading to intense debates between the Centre and the Opposition.
In response to the worsening conditions in Manipur, the visiting MPs have requested a discussion on the state’s affairs in Parliament. Their aim is to bring attention to the crisis and advocate for immediate action to alleviate the suffering of the displaced population and address the underlying ethnic tensions.
As the situation unfolds, the nation’s eyes remain fixed on the developments in Manipur, with concerns about the wellbeing of the affected communities and the potential security implications for the country at large. The responsibility now falls on the authorities to take swift and effective measures to address the humanitarian crisis and work towards a lasting resolution to the ethnic conflict in the state.
