Will establish peace again in Manipur: Modi in Parliament
Hindustan TimesNew Delhi The government recognises the suffering of the people of Manipur, sees the crimes against women in the state as unacceptable, is committed to bringing perpetrators to justice, and will ensure that a new dawn of peace will arise in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Parliament on Thursday. I assure the people of Manipur that we will spare no effort in returning the state to the path of development.” Modi’s speech came at the end of a three-day debate triggered by a no-confidence motion filed by Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi on July 26, citing the grave injustice in Manipur and the PM’s silence on the issue. When the session commenced, in the wake of the prolonged crisis in the state, the government had offered to discuss Manipur, with home minister Amit Shah willing to respond to the Opposition’s concerns, but the newly constituted Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance bloc insisted that the PM speak on the ethnic violence in the state, and saw the no-confidence motion as a way to force Modi to address the issue. The debate saw Opposition leaders, including Congress’s MP Rahul Gandhi, criticise the PM for failing to visit Manipur or speak on the issue, slam the central and state government’s administrative failure in restoring peace despite violence having persisted for over three months, demand the dismissal of state chief minister N Biren Singh, highlight the gruesome incidents of sexual assault that stirred the nation’s conscience, and point to the deepening Meitei-Kuki political, emotional and territorial divide in the state. “I can see it and that’s why our government has made development in the region a top priority,” Modi said, pointing to the boost in infrastructure and connectivity across the northeast in his term.