'Deep sense of loss and hurt’: Congress demands judicial probe into Manipur violence
Congress also alleged that the BJP-led state government has shown a ‘serious deficit’ in its efforts to contain the ethnic violence.
The Congress party has submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu regarding the ‘arson and violence’ in Manipur seeking her intervention into the matter to control the unrest in the northeastern state. It also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government has shown a ‘serious deficit’ in its efforts to contain the ethnic violence.
Also read: 'Manipur situation nothing to do with…': CDS Anil Chauhan as toll rises to 80
The party has placed a set of demands including firm and sustained efforts to control violence in every part of the state and immediate restoration of peace, harmony and normalcy. It has also urged for a high-level inquiry commission into the violence headed by a serving or a retired judge of the Supreme Court.
“It is with a deep sense of loss and hurt that we humbly submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for her kind intervention so that the extraordinary situation confronting Manipur can be redressed and normalcy can be brought in urgently,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a tweet.
The memorandum was presented to the President on a day when Union home minister Amit Shah is on a visit to Manipur, aiming to defuse ethnic tensions in the northeastern state, while security forces continued to fend off sporadic bursts of violence.
The Congress claimed in the memorandum that nearly 100 people have died due to the violence in the state, whereas, many have gone missing.
"More than 2000 houses have been either burned or destroyed. Some 10000 people, including women and children, are still living in relief camps and safer places without proper health and sanitation facilities. Thousands of people are rendered homeless and displaced. Almost all educational institutions are closed, denying education to students," it said.
The party has further demanded to cover the villages near the foothills of both communities with adequate security. A special drive must be carried out to trace missing people.
"There is a need for immediate identification of those who have lost their lives and handing their bodies over to the bereaved families for the last rites…Payment of dignified and reasonable compensation for loss of life, property, and all other things concerned to all the victims and affected persons," the Congress said.
Also read: Shah holds meetings in violence-hit Manipur, likely to visit Churachandpur
Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan said that the challenges in Manipur has not disappeared but it will settle down in some time. “The situation in Manipur is nothing to do with counter-insurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities. It's a law and order kind of situation and we are helping the state government. We have done an excellent job and saved a large number of lives. The challenges in Manipur have not disappeared and it will take some time but hopefully, they should settle down,” he said.
(With ANI inputs)