CPI-M seeks Centre’s 'urgent intervention' in Manipur situation

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) urged the Central government to immediately intervene to remove Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and initiate dialogue with all sides in the conflict to ensure that the rights of all communities are safeguarded and peace and normalcy restored.

Ahead of the CPI-M’s 24th party Congress, which will be held from April 2 to 6 in Madurai, the Left party published its draft political resolution, and analysed the situation in Manipur, which has been devastated by the ethnic violence since May 2023.

The draft political resolution, which was adopted at the Central Committee meeting held on January 17-19, in Kolkata, said that even twenty months after the ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, the situation remains dire.

“Heinous acts such as arson, rape, kidnapping and murder of innocents were committed. The conflict has so far left 250 people dead and 60,000 displaced people are living in camps. Both the BJP governments in the state and at the Centre have failed to restore normalcy and bring peace to the state,” the resolution said.

It said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not visited Manipur even once and Chief Minister Biren Singh has not been removed, despite widespread anger over his "partisan role" in the conflict.

The Left party said that apart from the belated deployment of security forces, no significant steps have been taken to initiate dialogue with representatives of the people, political parties and various ethnic groups involved in the conflict.

"This lack of action by the Central government has hindered the restoration of confidence among the people and the creation of conditions necessary for peace and harmony. The Centre seems oblivious to the dangerous consequences of its inaction, which could escalate the conflict in Manipur and threaten peace across the entire north-eastern region,” the draft political resolution of the CPI-M said.

The CPI-M and other Left parties are the constituents of the Congress led INDIA bloc in Manipur.

After the ethnic violence began in Manipur, central leaders of CPI-M including party’s Central committee member Jitendra Chaudhury visited various parts of trouble-torn Manipur.

Chaudhury, also CPI-M Tripura state Secretary and Leader of Opposition in the state, had alleged that "the ethnic violence in the northeastern state was part of the BJP-RSS’ strategy of engineering division among people across the country".