Manipur violence: Citing Vajpayee, 10 Opposition parties tell PM Modi to appeal for calm

New Delhi, June 17

Ten Opposition parties from Manipur on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur and issue an appeal for peace in the state.

Addressing the media at the Congress headquarters here, leaders of 10 like-minded parties Congress, JD(U), CPI, CPM, TMC, AAP, All India Forward Bloc, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and RSPsaid they had been awaiting PM Modi’s appointment since June 10 and hoped to get one before the PM left for the US and Egypt visit.

Recalling June 18, 2001, when Manipur witnessed similar strife marked by 15 killings, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “… then PM Atal Behari Vajpayee met an opposition delegation on June 24 and later again on July 8. He appealed for peace and said it would be his endeavour to understand concerns of the people of Manipur and address these through a democratic process. We appeal to PM Modi to take a cue from his predecessor and call for calm in the state.”

Former CM Ibobi Singh said the BJP-led Manipur government had “failed completely and the only hope for peace was now from the Union Government”. The Opposition leaders said Manipur was “hurt” over the PM’s silence over the violence.