Manipur Congress condemns exclusion of state crisis in presidential speech

Imphal, June 29: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Saturday condemned the omission of the ongoing crisis in Manipur in a speech delivered by Indian President Draupadi Murmu on June 27.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Kh Devbrata Singh has stated that Manipur is going through a crisis like no other Indian state has experienced. In such a scenario, the northeastern state deserves better treatment from the central government.

Devbrata noted that the Prime Minister of India had also maintained an eerie silence on the matter for a long time. He said that with the new term of the ruling party, the citizens of the country were expecting new initiatives from the central government. However, the President chose to ignore such a burning issue, which made the citizens of the country feel humiliated.

Devbrata stressed the importance of the president’s speech as it reflects the policies of the Modi government. “How can the President of India forget such a huge crisis in the country?” – he asked Devbrat, expressing his frustration.

Quoting retired Lt. Col. Himalaya, Devbrata said the crisis in Manipur was a “national security issue” and should be given priority by the central government. He raised suspicions that the exclusion of the Manipur crisis from the President’s speech could be a conspiracy to undermine the situation. Devbrata denied claims that the crisis had subsided, saying it was subtly escalating and the state government’s assurances of a return to normalcy were not true. He raised alarm, saying, “It is getting more dangerous than before.”

Pointing to stepmotherhood towards Manipur, Devbrata pointed out that the president in her speech appreciated the Baramulla region in the Kashmir Valley for its high voter turnout of 59 per cent, conveniently ignoring the 70 per cent voter turnout in Manipur during these difficult times. “This selective assessment of one region of the country while forgetting another part has hurt and humiliated the people of Manipur,” Devbrata added.

Explaining why the Congress in Manipur decided to protest, he said, “The President’s speech must be fair and must carry the voice of justice.”The President’s speech should not become the mouthpiece of the ruling government, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee working chairman said.