NEW DELHI: Accusing Biren Singh of instigating division in the state for two years, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Sunday said PM Narendra Modi allowed Singh to continue “despite the violence, loss of life and the destruction of the idea of India” in the state.
Congress linked Biren’s resignation to the no-confidence motion that the party was to move on Monday, even as it demanded that Modi immediately visit Manipur that he has not since the ethnic conflict broke out.
“The resignation shows that mounting public pressure, SC investigation and no-confidence motion by Congress have forced a reckoning. But the most urgent priority is to restore peace, and work to heal the wounds of the people of Manipur. PM Modi must visit Manipur at once, listen to the people and finally explain his plan to bring back normalcy,” Rahul said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The resignation of BJP’s Manipur CM is like ‘shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted’.”
“The PM is the real culprit of this disdain and apathy. He has forgotten that Manipur is a part of India. It is high time he rejigs his memory and locate the state of Manipur on the map of India. Modi ji has not stepped on Manipur’s soil since his last election campaign in January 2022, although he had time to visit several foreign countries. Now that the CM has resigned, we hope and urge him to visit Manipur and hear the stories of horror,” he said. He added, “It is painful to say that for 21 months, BJP ignited a fire in Manipur and left the people, across communities to fend for themselves.”