Blaming Congress for Manipur crisis — “Joke of the Century”: Congress

Imphal: Blaming Congress by BJP to prolong the Manipur crisis is the “biggest joke of the century”, Manipur PCC said refuting the allegations made by minister Govindas Konthoujam.

Minister Govindas Konthoujam had accused the Congress of deliberately wanting to prolong the ongoing crisis in Manipur at the Gaan-Ngai celebration in Chinikon village, Kangpokpi district.

MPCC vice-president Hareshwar Goswami, speaking at a press conference at Congress Bhawan, here on Tuesday, criticized the minister for his remark.

“Intelligence, security forces, and government machinery are all under double engine BJP governance. Yet, they blame Congress for continuing the violence. If Congress is so powerful, what is the BJP waiting for? Why haven’t they resolved the crisis?” Goswami asked.

Since the outset of the crisis, Congress Legislature Party leader O. Ibobi Singh had urged the chief minister to convene a joint meeting to address the situation. However, the calls was ignored, Goswami said. He added that during an Assembly session, the five Congress MLAs requested a discussion on the issue, but when denied, they walked out in protest.

Accusing the BJP of spreading misinformation, Goswami quoted Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels: “Tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth,” and alleged that lying have become a BJP culture.

He also criticized conflicting statements from BJP leaders about the root cause of the crisis. Union Home minister Amit Shah had attributed the violence to different causes at various times, ranging from the ST demand to illegal migrants and ethnic violence. Similarly, the chief minister shifted blame from law-and-order failure to the Congress government.

“What happened to the Commission of Inquiry report? We are still waiting for it,” Goswami said.

The Congress’ victory in the Lok Sabha elections was a result of the BJP’s “erroneous policies” that caused public suffering. The election results showed that the majority of people, though silent, oppose BJP’s disastrous policies, he added.

Goswami raised concerns about the ten Kuki MLAs demanding a separate administration or Union Territory, seven of whom are BJP MLAs including two cabinet ministers. “Why haven’t they been held accountable? What action has been taken beyond issuing show-cause notices?” He asked.

“If the House decided to send a letter to abrogate the SoO at the Centre, why are payments still being made to these groups?”

Goswami criticized BJP leaders for their inability to resolve the crisis, stating, “They can’t even meet their own Prime Minister in person, yet they blame Congress for everything.”