News Analysis India

Tag: Manipur

  • Sharad Pawar slams Union govt over onion export duty, Manipur violence, ‘misuse’ of probe agencies 

    By PTI

    KOLHAPUR (Maha): Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government over various issues including the hiked export duty on onions, violence in Manipur and `misuse’ of central agencies against political opponents.

    He was speaking at a rally in Kolhapur, the home district of rebel NCP leader Hasan Mushrif who joined the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra last month.

    Pawar’s rally here was his third in the home districts of rebel NCP leaders.

    Earlier, he had held public meetings in Nashik and Beed, the respective home districts of Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde, both of whom have joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

    “Farmers need to recover the money spent on growing a crop and also get paid for their efforts. If that is to happen, onions have to be exported across the world. (But) The Modi government has imposed a steep (export) duty of 40 per cent, and now Indian onions do not get buyers (abroad). This led to a fall in onions prices (within India),” Pawar said.

    As agriculture minister (in the Congress-led UPA government between 2004 and 2014) he never imposed export duty on onions and always ensured that the crop was exported, he said.

    “This government’s policy is to come in the way of whatever farmers produce,” Pawar alleged.

    Farmers and traders have been protesting since Monday in Nashik district of Maharashtra against the Centre’s decision to impose a 40 per cent export duty on onions, which they claim will hinder exports and bring down the prices in the domestic markets.

    Pawar also attacked the Narendra Modi government for bringing in contentious farm laws which were withdrawn after massive protests, and said no government has insulted farmers more than the present dispensation.

    Two women were paraded naked amid the violence that broke out in Manipur in May, but those who wield power did not use it to save them, he said.

    Investments meant for Maharashtra are going to Gujarat which is depriving the youth in Maharashtra of employment opportunities, Pawar claimed.

    Alleging that “power is being used to oppress opponents,” he cited the examples of his party colleagues Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

    All three were jailed in various cases and are currently out on bail.

    Taking a swipe at Hasan Mushrif, whose properties were raided by the Enforcement Directorate, Pawar said the people who worked with him should have some self-respect.

    “The women of the family said `shoot us instead….we are ready for that.’ If a woman can say this…I have not heard the head of the family saying this,” Pawar said, in an apparent reference to Mushrif.

    After Mushrif’s residence was raided, his wife had told reporters that the authorities should “shoot us instead”.

    Pawar lauded the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon.

    Be it Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee or curent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, everyone took efforts to make ISRO a leading space organisation in the world, the NCP chief said.

    KOLHAPUR (Maha): Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government over various issues including the hiked export duty on onions, violence in Manipur and `misuse’ of central agencies against political opponents.

    He was speaking at a rally in Kolhapur, the home district of rebel NCP leader Hasan Mushrif who joined the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra last month.

    Pawar’s rally here was his third in the home districts of rebel NCP leaders.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Earlier, he had held public meetings in Nashik and Beed, the respective home districts of Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde, both of whom have joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

    “Farmers need to recover the money spent on growing a crop and also get paid for their efforts. If that is to happen, onions have to be exported across the world. (But) The Modi government has imposed a steep (export) duty of 40 per cent, and now Indian onions do not get buyers (abroad). This led to a fall in onions prices (within India),” Pawar said.

    As agriculture minister (in the Congress-led UPA government between 2004 and 2014) he never imposed export duty on onions and always ensured that the crop was exported, he said.

    “This government’s policy is to come in the way of whatever farmers produce,” Pawar alleged.

    Farmers and traders have been protesting since Monday in Nashik district of Maharashtra against the Centre’s decision to impose a 40 per cent export duty on onions, which they claim will hinder exports and bring down the prices in the domestic markets.

    Pawar also attacked the Narendra Modi government for bringing in contentious farm laws which were withdrawn after massive protests, and said no government has insulted farmers more than the present dispensation.

    Two women were paraded naked amid the violence that broke out in Manipur in May, but those who wield power did not use it to save them, he said.

    Investments meant for Maharashtra are going to Gujarat which is depriving the youth in Maharashtra of employment opportunities, Pawar claimed.

    Alleging that “power is being used to oppress opponents,” he cited the examples of his party colleagues Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

    All three were jailed in various cases and are currently out on bail.

    Taking a swipe at Hasan Mushrif, whose properties were raided by the Enforcement Directorate, Pawar said the people who worked with him should have some self-respect.

    “The women of the family said `shoot us instead….we are ready for that.’ If a woman can say this…I have not heard the head of the family saying this,” Pawar said, in an apparent reference to Mushrif.

    After Mushrif’s residence was raided, his wife had told reporters that the authorities should “shoot us instead”.

    Pawar lauded the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon.

    Be it Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee or curent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, everyone took efforts to make ISRO a leading space organisation in the world, the NCP chief said.

  • Over 200 Meiteis who crossed over to Myanmar to escape violence in Manipur return to state: CM

    By PTI

    IMPHAL: More than 200 Meiteis who crossed over to neighbouring Myanmar to escape the ethnic violence in Manipur have safely returned to the state after more than three months, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Friday and lauded the role of the Army in bringing them back.

    More than 160 people have been killed and several hundreds injured in clashes between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur since May 3.

    “Relief and gratitude as 212 fellow Indian citizens (all Meiteis) who sought safety across the Myanmar border post the May 3rd unrest in Moreh town of Manipur are now safely back on Indian soil,” the chief minister wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    The chief minister hailed the efforts of the Army in facilitating their safe return to their hometown.

    “A big shout-out to the Indian Army for their dedication in bringing them home. Sincere gratitude to GOC (General Officer Commanding) Eastern Command, Lt Gen R P Kalita, GOC 3 Corps, Lt Gen HS Sahi and CO (Commanding Officer) of 5 AR, Col Rahul Jain for their unwavering service,” he said.

    IMPHAL: More than 200 Meiteis who crossed over to neighbouring Myanmar to escape the ethnic violence in Manipur have safely returned to the state after more than three months, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Friday and lauded the role of the Army in bringing them back.

    More than 160 people have been killed and several hundreds injured in clashes between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur since May 3.

    “Relief and gratitude as 212 fellow Indian citizens (all Meiteis) who sought safety across the Myanmar border post the May 3rd unrest in Moreh town of Manipur are now safely back on Indian soil,” the chief minister wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The chief minister hailed the efforts of the Army in facilitating their safe return to their hometown.

    “A big shout-out to the Indian Army for their dedication in bringing them home. Sincere gratitude to GOC (General Officer Commanding) Eastern Command, Lt Gen R P Kalita, GOC 3 Corps, Lt Gen HS Sahi and CO (Commanding Officer) of 5 AR, Col Rahul Jain for their unwavering service,” he said.

  • Manipur: Kuki MLAs urge Centre to come up with actual figures on illegal immigration from Myanmar

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Given the ongoing political turmoil in Myanmar and the Manipur government linking the ethnic violence in the state to illegal migration, the state’s all 10 Kuki legislators on Thursday urged the Centre to come up with the actual figures on the influx of the refugees.

    In a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, they said the Kuki-Zo tribals felt greatly disheartened by the Centre’s statements in Parliament which “appears to tread the line of the Manipur government linking the ethnic cleansing” to the issue of illegal immigration.

    “Therefore, we urge the central government to come up with actual figures of illegal immigration and refugee influx due to the political turmoil in Myanmar,” the legislators, seven of them from ruling BJP, wrote in the letter.

    They requested the Centre to expedite the political dialogue for “political and administrative recognition of the ethnic separation that has been forced upon us by the majority (Meitei) community-dominated government of Manipur, which, we feel, will bring lasting peace.”

    They said agreeing to Shah’s suggestions, they had shown the first goodwill gesture “despite being victims of ethnic cleansing” by convincing fellow Kukis to lift the economic blockade from National Highway 2. 

    “However, essential medical and other supplies to hill areas in Churachandpur, Chandel and Tengnoupal districts continued to be blocked by the Meitei community and the state government had failed to give any efforts to ensure the essential supplies reach the hill areas mentioned above,” the Kuki lawmakers said. 

    They alleged the state government was hell-bent upon trying to inject troops of the state commando unit into the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh “against the wishes of our people who hold them in great fear for their partisan credentials.”

    They requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to intervene and stop the state government from trying to forcibly station state police commandos in hill areas. 

    They submitted that they might no longer be in a position to prevent their people from imposing any blockades in future as they felt let down by them (Kuki legislators) due to the absence of any reciprocal gesture from the Meiteis and the state government “that continues to attack our settlements”.

    GUWAHATI: Given the ongoing political turmoil in Myanmar and the Manipur government linking the ethnic violence in the state to illegal migration, the state’s all 10 Kuki legislators on Thursday urged the Centre to come up with the actual figures on the influx of the refugees.

    In a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, they said the Kuki-Zo tribals felt greatly disheartened by the Centre’s statements in Parliament which “appears to tread the line of the Manipur government linking the ethnic cleansing” to the issue of illegal immigration.

    “Therefore, we urge the central government to come up with actual figures of illegal immigration and refugee influx due to the political turmoil in Myanmar,” the legislators, seven of them from ruling BJP, wrote in the letter.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    They requested the Centre to expedite the political dialogue for “political and administrative recognition of the ethnic separation that has been forced upon us by the majority (Meitei) community-dominated government of Manipur, which, we feel, will bring lasting peace.”

    They said agreeing to Shah’s suggestions, they had shown the first goodwill gesture “despite being victims of ethnic cleansing” by convincing fellow Kukis to lift the economic blockade from National Highway 2. 

    “However, essential medical and other supplies to hill areas in Churachandpur, Chandel and Tengnoupal districts continued to be blocked by the Meitei community and the state government had failed to give any efforts to ensure the essential supplies reach the hill areas mentioned above,” the Kuki lawmakers said. 

    They alleged the state government was hell-bent upon trying to inject troops of the state commando unit into the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh “against the wishes of our people who hold them in great fear for their partisan credentials.”

    They requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to intervene and stop the state government from trying to forcibly station state police commandos in hill areas. 

    They submitted that they might no longer be in a position to prevent their people from imposing any blockades in future as they felt let down by them (Kuki legislators) due to the absence of any reciprocal gesture from the Meiteis and the state government “that continues to attack our settlements”.

  • In strife-torn Manipur, CM Biren claims ‘vested interests’, ‘foreign plot’ behind loss of lives

    By PTI

    IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign plot to destabilise the country has led to the loss of precious lives and properties in the state.

    Singh said this after hoisting the national flag at the 1st Manipur Rifles parade ground here on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day function.

    The Independence Day celebration was held in all hill and valley districts of the state. He urged all to stop the violence and bring back the rapid progress the state had witnessed earlier.

    “Certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign plot to de-stabilise the country have led to the loss of precious lives and properties and many are living in relief camps,” the CM claimed.

    The government is working consistently to bring back normalcy and the affected people will be resettled soon, Singh said, adding that those who cannot be shifted to the original places immediately will be shifted temporarily to pre-fabricated houses which are under construction.

    “To err is human so we must learn to forgive and forget”, he said.

    The CM said a committee has been constituted to provide a project of “one family one livelihood” and rehabilitate the people. “The government has never done anything against the provisions of the Constitution and will never ever do such as act,” he said.

    Singh also claimed that the war on drugs is not targeted at any particular community or persons but was an effort by the government to save the nation and the future generation from the menace of drug abuse.

    “The war on drugs was initiated during the last part of 2018 as drugs were having a huge impact on the state with over 1 lakh drug users among the population,” he said.

    “Since 2017, the BJP government has been working consistently for the welfare of the state by understanding the pulse of the people and there was no form of conflict, bandh and blockade for the last six years,” the CM said, adding “more funds were added to the budgets to bring development at far off villages in the state,” Singh said the government could not remain a mute spectator to the widespread deforestation for poppy cultivation and resolved to annihilate drugs in the state.

    “Manipur is the gatekeeper of the country against the illicit trafficking of drugs and narcotics from Golden Triangle and the state is guarding the country’s youth population from drugs,” he said.

    The CM said deforestation has affected climatic conditions in the state and the distribution of salt and fertilizers for poppy cultivation has affected the water resources of the state.

    IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign plot to destabilise the country has led to the loss of precious lives and properties in the state.

    Singh said this after hoisting the national flag at the 1st Manipur Rifles parade ground here on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day function.

    The Independence Day celebration was held in all hill and valley districts of the state. He urged all to stop the violence and bring back the rapid progress the state had witnessed earlier.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign plot to de-stabilise the country have led to the loss of precious lives and properties and many are living in relief camps,” the CM claimed.

    The government is working consistently to bring back normalcy and the affected people will be resettled soon, Singh said, adding that those who cannot be shifted to the original places immediately will be shifted temporarily to pre-fabricated houses which are under construction.

    “To err is human so we must learn to forgive and forget”, he said.

    The CM said a committee has been constituted to provide a project of “one family one livelihood” and rehabilitate the people. “The government has never done anything against the provisions of the Constitution and will never ever do such as act,” he said.

    Singh also claimed that the war on drugs is not targeted at any particular community or persons but was an effort by the government to save the nation and the future generation from the menace of drug abuse.

    “The war on drugs was initiated during the last part of 2018 as drugs were having a huge impact on the state with over 1 lakh drug users among the population,” he said.

    “Since 2017, the BJP government has been working consistently for the welfare of the state by understanding the pulse of the people and there was no form of conflict, bandh and blockade for the last six years,” the CM said, adding “more funds were added to the budgets to bring development at far off villages in the state,” Singh said the government could not remain a mute spectator to the widespread deforestation for poppy cultivation and resolved to annihilate drugs in the state.

    “Manipur is the gatekeeper of the country against the illicit trafficking of drugs and narcotics from Golden Triangle and the state is guarding the country’s youth population from drugs,” he said.

    The CM said deforestation has affected climatic conditions in the state and the distribution of salt and fertilizers for poppy cultivation has affected the water resources of the state.

  • Iron Sharmila appeals to youth to bring normalcy in Manipur 

    By PTI

    KOCHI: Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu on Monday appealed to youth in the country to help bring normalcy in Manipur and attacked the BJP government, alleging it was deliberately ignoring the ongoing violence in the northeastern state.

    “Please help in bringing normalcy in Manipur,” Chanu said after inaugurating a night-long protest at Muvattupuzha near here to express solidarity with the two women who were raped and paraded naked recently in the northeastern state amidst the ongoing unrest.

    She alleged that the state government has completely failed to control the law and order situation there.

    Chanu accused the present BJP government of ignoring the problems there by treating them as third-class citizens and not intervening with the right approach.

    “I am expecting intervention from throughout the country. Educated people from Kerala, mainly youth. Youth can change society. They are the reflection of society. You can make a change. Please help in bringing normalcy in Manipur,” she said.

    Chanu said there are incidents in which agitators snatched weapons from police stations that are heavily guarded.

    She also said, blaming each other will never end violence.

    “The Central government is ignoring (the violence) deliberately. I just feel sorry,” she added.

    Recalling the horrific incident of the naked parade, Chanu stressed the importance of women’s empowerment as the need of the hour.

    She said Manipur was not very much different from Kerala.

    “Over 50 per cent of voters are women who elect men. Women’s empowerment is the need of the hour. Men rulers still suppress women. I just feel that futileness. When would that sense come? May women empower and bring sense into the society and the country,” she said.

    The agitation, organised by Congress leader and Muvattupuzha MLA, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, which will end at 12.30 AM on August 15 is against the violence perpetrated on women in the country and also to express solidarity with the two women who were raped and paraded naked recently in Manipur.

    The event witnessed the participation of numerous women politicians, writers, and social activists among others.

    Various dance and theatre performances on themes including violence inflicted on women were staged.

    KOCHI: Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu on Monday appealed to youth in the country to help bring normalcy in Manipur and attacked the BJP government, alleging it was deliberately ignoring the ongoing violence in the northeastern state.

    “Please help in bringing normalcy in Manipur,” Chanu said after inaugurating a night-long protest at Muvattupuzha near here to express solidarity with the two women who were raped and paraded naked recently in the northeastern state amidst the ongoing unrest.

    She alleged that the state government has completely failed to control the law and order situation there.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Chanu accused the present BJP government of ignoring the problems there by treating them as third-class citizens and not intervening with the right approach.

    “I am expecting intervention from throughout the country. Educated people from Kerala, mainly youth. Youth can change society. They are the reflection of society. You can make a change. Please help in bringing normalcy in Manipur,” she said.

    Chanu said there are incidents in which agitators snatched weapons from police stations that are heavily guarded.

    She also said, blaming each other will never end violence.

    “The Central government is ignoring (the violence) deliberately. I just feel sorry,” she added.

    Recalling the horrific incident of the naked parade, Chanu stressed the importance of women’s empowerment as the need of the hour.

    She said Manipur was not very much different from Kerala.

    “Over 50 per cent of voters are women who elect men. Women’s empowerment is the need of the hour. Men rulers still suppress women. I just feel that futileness. When would that sense come? May women empower and bring sense into the society and the country,” she said.

    The agitation, organised by Congress leader and Muvattupuzha MLA, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, which will end at 12.30 AM on August 15 is against the violence perpetrated on women in the country and also to express solidarity with the two women who were raped and paraded naked recently in Manipur.

    The event witnessed the participation of numerous women politicians, writers, and social activists among others.

    Various dance and theatre performances on themes including violence inflicted on women were staged.

  • Manipur HC asks state govt to find ways to restore mobile internet services

    By PTI

    IMPHAL: The Manipur High Court has asked the state government to find ways to provide mobile internet services to people. The court was hearing a batch of pleas filed by various parties seeking restoration of mobile internet services which were blocked after violence broke out in the state on May 3.

    A bench of Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma on Friday directed, “…state authorities, especially, the home department should consider for devising mechanism/methods for providing internet services through mobile phones by whitelisting the mobile numbers on case to case basis and in a phase-wise manner.”

    It also added, “Accordingly, the state authorities are directed to consider this aspect and to submit a report on the next date.”

    During the hearing, the state’s counsel submitted that the Manipur government had, earlier, issued necessary orders lifting the ban on providing internet through broadband services (ILL & FTTH) in a liberalised manner.

    The counsel said this “was subject to fulfilment of certain safeguards/terms and conditions and as of now, many citizens have availed such internet services.”

    Counsel for the petitioners submitted that since there has been no data leakage through the whitelisted mobile phones, the high court can pass appropriate orders directing the state to whitelist all mobile phones in a gradual manner.

    The counsel said authorities have conducted physical trials about revoking the mobile internet ban by whitelisting certain mobile numbers.

    As per the report submitted by service providers, there is no data leakage to any other numbers which are not whitelisted, the counsel added.

    An indefinite Mobile internet ban has been in force in Manipur since May 3 after violence broke out in the state. The court will again hear the matter on August 31.

    IMPHAL: The Manipur High Court has asked the state government to find ways to provide mobile internet services to people. The court was hearing a batch of pleas filed by various parties seeking restoration of mobile internet services which were blocked after violence broke out in the state on May 3.

    A bench of Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma on Friday directed, “…state authorities, especially, the home department should consider for devising mechanism/methods for providing internet services through mobile phones by whitelisting the mobile numbers on case to case basis and in a phase-wise manner.”

    It also added, “Accordingly, the state authorities are directed to consider this aspect and to submit a report on the next date.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    During the hearing, the state’s counsel submitted that the Manipur government had, earlier, issued necessary orders lifting the ban on providing internet through broadband services (ILL & FTTH) in a liberalised manner.

    The counsel said this “was subject to fulfilment of certain safeguards/terms and conditions and as of now, many citizens have availed such internet services.”

    Counsel for the petitioners submitted that since there has been no data leakage through the whitelisted mobile phones, the high court can pass appropriate orders directing the state to whitelist all mobile phones in a gradual manner.

    The counsel said authorities have conducted physical trials about revoking the mobile internet ban by whitelisting certain mobile numbers.

    As per the report submitted by service providers, there is no data leakage to any other numbers which are not whitelisted, the counsel added.

    An indefinite Mobile internet ban has been in force in Manipur since May 3 after violence broke out in the state. The court will again hear the matter on August 31.

  • Tribal body warns Kuki MLAs not to attend special session of Manipur Assembly

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) in Manipur warned all 10 Kuki-Zo legislators in the state not to attend the special session of the Assembly, likely to be held on August 21.

    “…it is strictly mandated that no #Kuki-Zo tribal MLA participate in any manner or form in the Manipur Special Assembly, scheduled for Aug 21, 2023,” the ITLF wrote on X, previously Twitter.

    Seven of these MLAs are from the ruling BJP, two from the Kuki People’s Alliance, which withdrew its support to the government recently, and one is an independent. None of them is in the Meitei-majority Imphal valley now.

    Earlier, some of them had said it would not be possible for them to attend a session of the Assembly given the volatile situation.

    Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo MLAs took exception to Union home minister Amit Shah’s comment in Parliament linking the ethnic violence to the influx of Chin-Kuki people from Myanmar.

    ALSO READ | ‘I was forcefully pinned down,’ says Manipuri woman alleging gang-rape on May 3; files ‘Zero FIR’

    “While our people are still reeling under relentless attacks on our villages by Meitei militia led by Manipur Police, it is disheartening that the Union Home Minister should state in parliament that the ethnic cleansing on Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people is a disturbance caused by infiltration from Myanmar post the 2021 (Myanmar) Junta takeover,” the MLAs said in a statement.

    They said the narratives of Meitei “fundamental organisations like Haomee Federation, Meitei Leepun and Kangleipak Kanba Lup” that Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people in the state are foreigners and the branding of the community as poppy planters which fueled animosity between the two communities have been ignored by Shah in his statement.

    “We, as elected representatives of the Kuki Zomi-Hmar people of Manipur, hereby once again reiterate that the ethnic cleansing on our people is a pre-planned attack aimed at grabbing tribal land against constitutional provisions. Our people have been violently cleansed from the valley, and our colonies have been razed to the ground,” the legislators said.

    They reiterated that the Centre must give recognition to this demographic segregation in the form of a separate administration through a political settlement.

    “We urge the Union Home Ministry to furnish details of illegal infiltrators from Myanmar and proof of their participation in the village defence efforts of Kuki -Zo-Hmar villages. We urge the Solicitor General to furnish proof of the dead bodies in Imphal mortuaries belonging to illegal infiltrators, failing which due apology to the court and the nation would be in order,” they added.

    GUWAHATI: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) in Manipur warned all 10 Kuki-Zo legislators in the state not to attend the special session of the Assembly, likely to be held on August 21.

    “…it is strictly mandated that no #Kuki-Zo tribal MLA participate in any manner or form in the Manipur Special Assembly, scheduled for Aug 21, 2023,” the ITLF wrote on X, previously Twitter.

    Seven of these MLAs are from the ruling BJP, two from the Kuki People’s Alliance, which withdrew its support to the government recently, and one is an independent. None of them is in the Meitei-majority Imphal valley now.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Earlier, some of them had said it would not be possible for them to attend a session of the Assembly given the volatile situation.

    Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo MLAs took exception to Union home minister Amit Shah’s comment in Parliament linking the ethnic violence to the influx of Chin-Kuki people from Myanmar.

    ALSO READ | ‘I was forcefully pinned down,’ says Manipuri woman alleging gang-rape on May 3; files ‘Zero FIR’

    “While our people are still reeling under relentless attacks on our villages by Meitei militia led by Manipur Police, it is disheartening that the Union Home Minister should state in parliament that the ethnic cleansing on Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people is a disturbance caused by infiltration from Myanmar post the 2021 (Myanmar) Junta takeover,” the MLAs said in a statement.

    They said the narratives of Meitei “fundamental organisations like Haomee Federation, Meitei Leepun and Kangleipak Kanba Lup” that Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people in the state are foreigners and the branding of the community as poppy planters which fueled animosity between the two communities have been ignored by Shah in his statement.

    “We, as elected representatives of the Kuki Zomi-Hmar people of Manipur, hereby once again reiterate that the ethnic cleansing on our people is a pre-planned attack aimed at grabbing tribal land against constitutional provisions. Our people have been violently cleansed from the valley, and our colonies have been razed to the ground,” the legislators said.

    They reiterated that the Centre must give recognition to this demographic segregation in the form of a separate administration through a political settlement.

    “We urge the Union Home Ministry to furnish details of illegal infiltrators from Myanmar and proof of their participation in the village defence efforts of Kuki -Zo-Hmar villages. We urge the Solicitor General to furnish proof of the dead bodies in Imphal mortuaries belonging to illegal infiltrators, failing which due apology to the court and the nation would be in order,” they added.

  • BJP ‘murdered Bharat Mata’ in Manipur: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: In a blistering attack against the BJP over violence in Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that its politics had “murdered Bharat Mata” in the northeastern state and termed members of the ruling party “traitors”.

    Participating in the no-confidence motion debate, Gandhi also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur and alleged that he does not consider the state to be part of India.

    “I went to Manipur a few days ago. Our prime minister has not gone there, he has not gone there till now. He does not consider Manipur part of India. I used the word Manipur, but the reality is there is no Manipur left. You have divided Manipur into two parts, you have broken up Manipur,” Gandhi said.

    Gandhi said he visited Manipur and met women and children at the relief camps, but the prime minister had not done.

    The prime minister was not in the House when Gandhi spoke.

    “I asked a woman, ‘What happened with you?’ She said, ‘My small son, only child, was shot before my eyes. I spent the whole night with the body of my child and then I felt afraid. I left my house’. I asked her if she had brought along something with her and she said only the clothes she wearing and a photo,” Gandhi said, narrating his experiences.

    In another camp, he said he asked a woman the same question — “What happened with you?” As he did so, she started trembling and fainted.

    “These are the two examples. In Manipur, they (BJP) have murdered Hindustan. Their politics has not killed Manipur but killed Hindustan in Manipur. Hindustan has been murdered in Manipur. By killing the people of Manipur you have murdered Bharat Mata, you are not desh bhakts (patriots) but deshdrohis (traitors),” the former Congress chief said.

    ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi participates in no confidence motion debate, putting all speculation to rest

    As the treasury benches protested and slammed Gandhi, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress leader should apologise for his remarks as it is the Congress that is responsible for insurgency and other problems in the northeast.

    Continuing his no-holds-barred attack against the government in his over 30-minute speech, Gandhi went on to say that it is the Army that can bring peace to Manipur but the government is not deploying it.

    “You have murdered the voice of India, which means you have murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur. My mother is sitting here. The other mother, Bharat Mata, you killed in Manipur,” he said, pointing to Sonia Gandhi who was present in the House.

    “You have sprinkled kerosene everywhere. You have set fire to Manipur. You are now trying the same thing in Haryana,” he added, referring to recent communal clashes in Gurugram and Nuh.

    Gandhi alleged that the prime minister listens to only two people, Amit Shah and Gautam Adani, just as Ravan paid heed to only two.

    He did not elaborate on the point.

    The former Congress president also said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is not over and he undertook the cross-country march to understand what was it he loved and for what had he faced abuse for 10 years.

    The Congress leader also thanked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for reinstating his membership of the House.

    “The last time I spoke, I also caused you (Birla) pain. I focussed on Adani ji with such intensity, your senior leaders felt pain. That pain also affected you, for that I apologise to you,” Gandhi told Birla.

    “I only spoke the truth. My BJP friends you need not be afraid because my speech today will not be focussed on us. Rumi said, ‘Jo shabd dil se aate hain woh dil mein jaate hain’. Will not attack you much.”

    “I walked from one end of the country to another, from the coast to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. The yatra is still not over. Many people asked me after it started, ‘Rahul why did you walk, what is your aim’. I did not know why I wanted to walk but I soon understood the thing that I love and the thing for which I am willing to die and go to Modi ji’s jail, the thing for which I bore abuse for 10 years, I wanted to understand,” he said.

    The no-confidence motion has been brought by the Congress on behalf of the opposition grouping INDIA.

    The debate was initiated on Tuesday by Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi. It will conclude with the prime minister’s reply on Thursday. Many Rajya Sabha members were in the gallery when he spoke.

    NEW DELHI: In a blistering attack against the BJP over violence in Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that its politics had “murdered Bharat Mata” in the northeastern state and termed members of the ruling party “traitors”.

    Participating in the no-confidence motion debate, Gandhi also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur and alleged that he does not consider the state to be part of India.

    “I went to Manipur a few days ago. Our prime minister has not gone there, he has not gone there till now. He does not consider Manipur part of India. I used the word Manipur, but the reality is there is no Manipur left. You have divided Manipur into two parts, you have broken up Manipur,” Gandhi said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Gandhi said he visited Manipur and met women and children at the relief camps, but the prime minister had not done.

    The prime minister was not in the House when Gandhi spoke.

    “I asked a woman, ‘What happened with you?’ She said, ‘My small son, only child, was shot before my eyes. I spent the whole night with the body of my child and then I felt afraid. I left my house’. I asked her if she had brought along something with her and she said only the clothes she wearing and a photo,” Gandhi said, narrating his experiences.

    In another camp, he said he asked a woman the same question — “What happened with you?” As he did so, she started trembling and fainted.

    “These are the two examples. In Manipur, they (BJP) have murdered Hindustan. Their politics has not killed Manipur but killed Hindustan in Manipur. Hindustan has been murdered in Manipur. By killing the people of Manipur you have murdered Bharat Mata, you are not desh bhakts (patriots) but deshdrohis (traitors),” the former Congress chief said.

    ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi participates in no confidence motion debate, putting all speculation to rest

    As the treasury benches protested and slammed Gandhi, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress leader should apologise for his remarks as it is the Congress that is responsible for insurgency and other problems in the northeast.

    Continuing his no-holds-barred attack against the government in his over 30-minute speech, Gandhi went on to say that it is the Army that can bring peace to Manipur but the government is not deploying it.

    “You have murdered the voice of India, which means you have murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur. My mother is sitting here. The other mother, Bharat Mata, you killed in Manipur,” he said, pointing to Sonia Gandhi who was present in the House.

    “You have sprinkled kerosene everywhere. You have set fire to Manipur. You are now trying the same thing in Haryana,” he added, referring to recent communal clashes in Gurugram and Nuh.

    Gandhi alleged that the prime minister listens to only two people, Amit Shah and Gautam Adani, just as Ravan paid heed to only two.

    He did not elaborate on the point.

    The former Congress president also said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is not over and he undertook the cross-country march to understand what was it he loved and for what had he faced abuse for 10 years.

    The Congress leader also thanked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for reinstating his membership of the House.

    “The last time I spoke, I also caused you (Birla) pain. I focussed on Adani ji with such intensity, your senior leaders felt pain. That pain also affected you, for that I apologise to you,” Gandhi told Birla.

    “I only spoke the truth. My BJP friends you need not be afraid because my speech today will not be focussed on us. Rumi said, ‘Jo shabd dil se aate hain woh dil mein jaate hain’. Will not attack you much.”

    “I walked from one end of the country to another, from the coast to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. The yatra is still not over. Many people asked me after it started, ‘Rahul why did you walk, what is your aim’. I did not know why I wanted to walk but I soon understood the thing that I love and the thing for which I am willing to die and go to Modi ji’s jail, the thing for which I bore abuse for 10 years, I wanted to understand,” he said.

    The no-confidence motion has been brought by the Congress on behalf of the opposition grouping INDIA.

    The debate was initiated on Tuesday by Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi. It will conclude with the prime minister’s reply on Thursday. Many Rajya Sabha members were in the gallery when he spoke.

  • Citing past violence in Manipur, Himanta says conflict in state is due to Congress’ wrong policies

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday blamed the Congress and its policies of the past for the ongoing conflicts in Manipur and the rest of the Northeast.

    “Manipur has seen ethnic conflicts and killings of civilians and defence personnel for 75 years,” Sarma said.

    He shared figures of human deaths in ethnic conflicts and other violent incidents in the state since 1990.

    He said 300 people were killed in the state in 1990, 1,100 in 1993, 400 in 1997, 95 in 2001, 140 in 2003, 105 in 2006, 200 in 2008, 220 in 2010 and 165 in 2012. He said ethnic conflicts and other violent activities were the reasons behind the deaths. He said all these incidents occurred during Congress regimes.

    “I want to clearly say that because of the wrong policies adopted by the Congress during the formative years, today the states in the Northeast have not been able to resolve various disputes that exist from the time India attained freedom,” the Assam CM said.

    “They (Congress) created situations. They put provisions in the Constitution. They either created safeguards in the Constitution which are creating various issues and problems among the communities or they had not done something which should have been done in the very beginning to resolve conflicts,” Sarma alleged.

    ALSO READ | Case registered against Assam Rifles personnel for ‘obstructing’ police in Manipur

    He asked the Congress to think and introspect on how Manipur is burning because of the party’s wrong policies and wrong approach towards the people of the Northeast.

    “The sole responsibility is with the Congress. They must also remember that during all these violent activities, none of their Prime Ministers visited Manipur or tried to give a healing touch,” Sarma said.

    He also said no Congress Union minister ever visited Manipur and stayed there for three nights and none of its ministers of state at the Centre stayed in the state for a month to resolve issues. He made the reference in the context of the visits by Union home minister Amit Shah and his deputy Nityanand Rai.

    Without naming Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, he said an Assam MP said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited Assam’s Kokrajhar during communal violence. He said there were two “incidents” (communal violence )– one in 2008 and another in 2012.

    “In 2008, almost 64 people were killed, 3,211 houses were burnt, 115 were injured and 11,690 others were affected in Darrang and Udalguri districts. There are no records suggesting Singh visited Assam at that point in time,” Sarma said, adding Singh did visit Kokrajhar in 2012 but only for an hour.

    “That did not resolve the problem. The conflict was resolved when at the initiative of Intelligence Bureau, I took Bodo and Muslim leaders to Delhi and a discussion had taken place in the presence of then Union home secretary RK Singh,” the Assam CM added.

    GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday blamed the Congress and its policies of the past for the ongoing conflicts in Manipur and the rest of the Northeast.

    “Manipur has seen ethnic conflicts and killings of civilians and defence personnel for 75 years,” Sarma said.

    He shared figures of human deaths in ethnic conflicts and other violent incidents in the state since 1990.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    He said 300 people were killed in the state in 1990, 1,100 in 1993, 400 in 1997, 95 in 2001, 140 in 2003, 105 in 2006, 200 in 2008, 220 in 2010 and 165 in 2012. He said ethnic conflicts and other violent activities were the reasons behind the deaths. He said all these incidents occurred during Congress regimes.

    “I want to clearly say that because of the wrong policies adopted by the Congress during the formative years, today the states in the Northeast have not been able to resolve various disputes that exist from the time India attained freedom,” the Assam CM said.

    “They (Congress) created situations. They put provisions in the Constitution. They either created safeguards in the Constitution which are creating various issues and problems among the communities or they had not done something which should have been done in the very beginning to resolve conflicts,” Sarma alleged.

    ALSO READ | Case registered against Assam Rifles personnel for ‘obstructing’ police in Manipur

    He asked the Congress to think and introspect on how Manipur is burning because of the party’s wrong policies and wrong approach towards the people of the Northeast.

    “The sole responsibility is with the Congress. They must also remember that during all these violent activities, none of their Prime Ministers visited Manipur or tried to give a healing touch,” Sarma said.

    He also said no Congress Union minister ever visited Manipur and stayed there for three nights and none of its ministers of state at the Centre stayed in the state for a month to resolve issues. He made the reference in the context of the visits by Union home minister Amit Shah and his deputy Nityanand Rai.

    Without naming Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, he said an Assam MP said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited Assam’s Kokrajhar during communal violence. He said there were two “incidents” (communal violence )– one in 2008 and another in 2012.

    “In 2008, almost 64 people were killed, 3,211 houses were burnt, 115 were injured and 11,690 others were affected in Darrang and Udalguri districts. There are no records suggesting Singh visited Assam at that point in time,” Sarma said, adding Singh did visit Kokrajhar in 2012 but only for an hour.

    “That did not resolve the problem. The conflict was resolved when at the initiative of Intelligence Bureau, I took Bodo and Muslim leaders to Delhi and a discussion had taken place in the presence of then Union home secretary RK Singh,” the Assam CM added.

  • Rahul returns as MP after four months

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:   THE Lok Sabha Secretariat on Monday revoked the suspension of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, four months after he was disqualified and days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case over Modi surname remarks. 

    The restoration of Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership was widely welcomed by leaders from Congress and the Opposition bloc INDIA.  Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge said it brought relief to the people of India, especially to Gandhi’s constituency Wayanad in Kerala. “Victory of love against hate,” tweeted the official social media handle of the Congress party.

    Celebrations erupted at AICC headquarters after the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued the notification announcing the restoration of the ex-Congress chief’s membership. Although Gandhi attended the proceedings when the House convened at noon, it was soon adjourned after BJP leader Nishikant Dubey raised allegations of Congress’s ‘unholy nexus’ with China. 

    To lead no-trust debateBack as MP, Rahul is expected to lead the attack against the Modi government in the no-trust motion on Tuesday. The Congress is also keen to have him as a key speaker in the debate on the Manipur unrest

    NEW DELHI:   THE Lok Sabha Secretariat on Monday revoked the suspension of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, four months after he was disqualified and days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case over Modi surname remarks. 

    The restoration of Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership was widely welcomed by leaders from Congress and the Opposition bloc INDIA.  Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge said it brought relief to the people of India, especially to Gandhi’s constituency Wayanad in Kerala. “Victory of love against hate,” tweeted the official social media handle of the Congress party.

    Celebrations erupted at AICC headquarters after the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued the notification announcing the restoration of the ex-Congress chief’s membership. Although Gandhi attended the proceedings when the House convened at noon, it was soon adjourned after BJP leader Nishikant Dubey raised allegations of Congress’s ‘unholy nexus’ with China. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    To lead no-trust debate
    Back as MP, Rahul is expected to lead the attack against the Modi government in the no-trust motion on Tuesday. The Congress is also keen to have him as a key speaker in the debate on the Manipur unrest