‘Why can't PM Modi be peacemaker by visiting violence-hit Manipur'?: Congress

The Congress on Friday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning him for not visiting violence-hit Manipur. 

Earlier in the day, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in an interview to news agency PTI promised to fully restore peace in six months with Centre's help, while ruling out stepping down. 

On the prime minister not visiting the north-eastern state, Singh said that PM Modi might not have come to Manipur but sent Union home minister Amit Shah. 

“And PM has so often spoken about Manipur, even from Lal Qila on Independence Day...and whatever is being done here in terms of security, funding etc, is under his leadership only. In a complex situation a PM coming was not necessary,” Biren Singh added. 

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Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh hit out at Modi, saying,"The people of Manipur want the prime minister to come to the state and the prime minister has not gone. It is an extraordinary situation, he has gone all over the world but he has not found time to go to Manipur even for a few hours. What the chief minister is saying about the PM is unacceptable, it is indefensible what he has done."

‘Manipur CM lost all credibility’: Cong

Ramesh said that the chief minister had “lost all credibility”. "The Supreme Court actually called it a breakdown of constitutional machinery. So I don't know which world the chief minister is living in?" PTI quoted Ramesh as saying.

Referring to a viral audio clip containing alleged offensive remarks by the CM against ethnic minorities, termed as fake by the state government, the Congress leader called for a probe into it.

“I don't see on what strength the CM is claiming normalcy. This is absolutely contrary to the facts on the ground. Fifteen months after getting a huge majority in the assembly elections, the state began burning and “it was made to blow up," he added.

"This is not accidental what has happened. The fact of the matter is that the prime minister has gone to Ukraine, the prime minister has gone to Russia, he has gone to Poland, he has gone all over the country, he has gone to other countries of the world but he has neither found the time nor the inclination to visit Manipur even for a few hours," Ramesh said.

“The non-biological PM is going all over the world trying to be the peacemaker, why can't he be the peacemaker by going to Manipur,” he added.