Newmai News Network
Imphal | June 8
The Congress party in Manipur on Thursday came up with a five-point agenda for restoration of peace and normalcy in the trouble-ridden Manipur.
The five-point agenda included, among others, confinement of cadres under Suspension of Operation (SoO) truce at their designated camps; ensuring the protection of Manipur's territorial, administrative, and socio-economic integrity; taking immediate action against poppy planters, financiers and drug lords; implementing relief measures promptly; and initiating the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants within a specified timeframe.
Speaking to reporters at Congress Bhavan here today, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) vice president Hareshowre Goshwami stated that the current scenario of the state is "full of terror and commotion" while terming it as the first time ever witnessed in the history of Manipur.
He alleged that negligence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh in dealing with the tensions in Churachandpur in the aftermath of torching of an open gym scheduled to be inaugurated by him and vandalism at the function venue on April 27 was the flash point for the eruption of the large scale violence in the state.
"The narco-terrorism and the presence of Myanmar-based People's Defence Force (PDF) militants who infiltrated into the state through the porous Indo-Myanmar border after the crackdown in Myanmar were the immediate factors contributing to the ongoing conflict," the Congress leader alleged.
The drug cartel in the state is yet to be controlled as many of the drug-lords are holding powerful positions in the state while citing Lukhoisei Zou's case and the Loyangamba Ithocha International Drug cartel case as examples.
The vice president of MPCC also alleged that allowing the entry of Myanmar based PDF in Manipur is also one of the main reasons for this problem in Manipur.
Alleging that there were signs of a large cadres of the Myanmar based insurgent group founded only in 2021 infiltrated into the state, the Congress leader asked how the security forces allowed penetration of such insurgents in Manipur.
Goshwami observed that a separate state demand by the Kuki-Chin was another root cause of the present violent conflict in the state.
He said that the separate state or "Kuki land" demand was started in 1960, and in 1965 when the Chin-Kuki initiated a greater Mizoram campaign in Churachandpur.
The MPCC vice-president then said that the chief minister and his government should be held accountable for the loss of lives, displacement of a large number of people, and destruction of properties.
