Editor
The General Secretary (Org) of the Manipur Patriotic Party, Naorem Mohen, has placed the blame for the ongoing crisis in the northeastern hill state squarely on the Congress Party. In an open letter addressed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Mohen criticized the party for its alleged role in perpetuating the British Policy of Meitei containment and for encouraging illegal immigration from Myanmar and Bangladesh to create a favorable vote bank.
Contrary to Gandhi's portrayal of the situation as a clash between two communities, Mohen argued that the current violent crisis in Manipur is a direct consequence of the Congress Party's actions. He accused the party of exploiting the British policy to convert immigrants into a reliable vote bank, thereby exacerbating tensions within the state.
Mohen also highlighted the Manipur government's decision to withdraw from the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with two militant groups, the Kuki National Army (KNA) and Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), due to their alleged involvement in inciting agitation among forest encroachers. In his letter, he pointed out that it was the Congress Party that played a significant role in the formation of the SoO with Kuki militant outfits, with the pact officially becoming a tripartite agreement on August 22, 2008, following its informal initiation by the Indian Army under the Congress-led government on August 1, 2005.
The letter also questioned the efforts of both the Congress governments in New Delhi and Imphal to bring about a political solution to the insurgency movement in Manipur. Mohen emphasized that the party had failed to address the demand of the Manipur populace for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS), further accusing them of engaging in vote bank politics.
Responding to Mohen's claims, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the saffron party for its delayed response to the violence in Manipur, stating that it took them 52 days to call an all-party meeting on the matter. Ramesh argued that such a meeting should have been chaired by the Prime Minister, who had remained silent throughout the crisis, and held in Imphal to demonstrate national concern.
On June 24, Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over an all-party meeting in the national capital to discuss the situation in Manipur, with former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh representing the Congress Party. The meeting aimed to address the escalating crisis and find ways to restore peace and stability in the state.