Manipur situation has turned from bad to worse: Kharge to Shah

Kharge detailed recent developments in the state, noting that on January 24 a meeting was convened of ministers/MPs/MLAs in the historical Kangla Fort in Imphal that is heavily guarded by central and state security forces.

In his letter, Kharge urged Shah to take urgent action to ensure that democracy and the rule of law prevails once more in Manipur. (File photo)

Expressing concern over the situation in Manipur, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning the “continuing silence and inaction” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In his letter, Kharge said: “Governments come and go, but it is the responsibility of Constitutional functionaries to ensure that democratic structures, institutions and processes are protected and preserved.”

He urged action to address “a complete collapse of the administration in Manipur” after the alleged assault of Congress’s Manipur chief K Meghachandra by members of Meitei group Arambai Tenggol in Imphal’s Kangla Fort. Meghachandra is one of the three MLAs who had allegedly been assaulted during a meeting on January 24, which was the result of “summons” issued to all Meitei MLAs and MPs by Arambai Tenggol.

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Kharge cited this incident to state that the situation in Manipur “has only turned from bad to worse”. “Many members present in the meeting were compelled to attend this meeting by an armed group. Not only that, Meghachandra was brutally assaulted and tortured during this meeting. This shocking incident has happened despite heavy presence of Central and Security forces and intelligence personnel. To date, there has been no action from the Manipur CM and the Home Ministry on this disturbing subversion of democratic processes by a non-state actor,” he wrote.

One more dead

Meanwhile, one more person was killed during a gunfight “between armed miscreants” at Satang Hill Range in Kangpokpi district on Saturday morning.

According to sources, the firing had begun around 6 am. Kuki groups identified the deceased as 26-year-old Tilmunlun Khongsai, a resident of Ng Phainom village in Kangpokpi.

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