‘When will PM go?’: Jairam Ramesh's jab at Modi after SC judges visit Manipur
A delegation of six Supreme Court judges including Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant visited a relief camp in Manipur's Churachandpur on Saturday.
Welcoming the visit of a delegation of Supreme Court judges to Manipur on Saturday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh asked when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state.
He said that the Congress party welcomes the six judges who have gone to visit Manipur. Speaking to news agency ANI, he noted that in the past 22 months, hundreds of people have died, around 60,000 have been displaced and have been living in shelter homes and relief camps.
"President's rule was imposed on February 13, but the question arises: Even after the Supreme Court itself on August 1, 2023, said that the constitutional system in Manipur had been completely demolished, why did it take 18 months to impose President's rule? It is good that Supreme Court judges have gone, but the bigger question is when will the Prime Minister visit?" Ramesh asked.
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A delegation of Supreme Court judges, including Justices BR Gavai, Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, MM Sundresh, KV Vishwanathan, and N Kotishwar, visited a relief camp in Manipur's Churachandpur.
The Congress leader also slammed home minister Amit Shah for not speaking about the situation in Manipur during the discussions on his ministry's works in the Parliament.
"Yesterday, the Home Minister gave a response in the Rajya Sabha for about four hours about the work of his Home Ministry, but he did not say much about Manipur. In February 2022, the NDA won the elections with a huge majority, but within 15 months, Manipur started burning. There is no answer to that. There is no answer to why the Prime Minister did not go," he added.
Ramesh also questioned the delay in imposing the President's rule in the state, criticising Shah for visiting Mizoram but not Manipur.
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The Congress leader told ANI, "There is no answer to why there was so much delay in imposing the President's rule. The Home Minister goes to Mizoram, why didn't he go to Manipur? And the things that the Chief Minister of Mizoram has said after going to America raise many questions."
Ramesh urged PM Modi to visit Manipur, either before going to Bangkok or while returning. "We hope that on his way to Bangkok or while returning from Bangkok, the Prime Minister takes some time to visit Manipur. The Prime Minister's visit is crucial for a healing touch," he added.
His statement was about the prime minister's likely visit to Thailand from April 2 to 4 for the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
The President's Rule in Manipur was imposed on February 13 on the basis of a report from the state governor. The violent clashes in the state broke out in May last year during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protect the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.
(with ANI inputs)
