Mallikarjun Kharge demands inquiry into Manipur violence; asks govt to table White Paper

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Congress chief and Rajya Sabha Leader of Oppositon Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday demanded an inquiry into Manipur violence and asked the central government to table a White Paper in the House.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said that Manipur has been burning for nearly two years, and the government has failed to stop violence in the state.
"For two years Manipur has been burning, and the government has failed in stopping the violence. More than 260 people have died, and over 60,000 have been displaced. Families have been torn apart, yet the BJP watched it in silence. Manipur's economy has collapsed. GST collections have fallen. The state saw the horrifying situation," Kharge said in Rajya Sabha.
He further said that the then Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh should have taken the morale responsibility and should have resigned on the first day of the violence.
"The BJP is working to save Prime Minister Narendra Modi but not Manipur. The Prime Minister refused to go there. What is the reason that PM Modi did not visit Manipur? Entire Manipur was burning in spite of that, but Modiji did not go there. He might have gone to a number of foreign countries during that time, but he did not step in Manipur. Rahul Gandhi visited Manipur and met the victims. Supreme Court judges and NGOs visited Manipur, but the Prime Minister did not. Unko fursat nhi haina bhai," he added.
The Congress chief further claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no plans to bring peace to Manipur.
"What are you doing here, please bring the peace here (Manipur). The Prime Minister has time for election rallies but not for Manipur. He failed to bring peace. Therefore, I demand an inquiry and also to let them put a white paper on the table. So who is responsible for that? Everyone will know what is going on in Manipur. When people were crying in Manipur for food, you never responded," he said.
Mallikarjun Kharge urged Prime Minister to visit Manipur at the earliest and resolve law and order situation there
"Atleast Prime Minister should come here and give explanation. Why he did not give? Why he did not visited? What is his problem? If any jadugar have told to not visit, that if you visit you will loose power. I urge the Prime Minister to visit Manipur at the earliest and resolve law and order situation there," Kharge said.
Rajya Sabha LoP and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge requested Rajya Sabha Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar for a discussion on Manipur to be held on Friday morning in the House.
"You (Vice-President and Chairman Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar) are scared of the government...You should protect us," Kharge said.
Replying to Rajya Sabha LoP and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Vice-President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "...The farmer of India and his son is not scared of anyone..."
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved the resolution for Rajya Sabha nod to the Presidential proclamation for the president's rule in Manipur.
"That this House approves the Proclamation issued by the President on the 13th February, 2025 under article 356(1) of the constitution in relation to the State of Manipur," Shah said.
Manipur has been under the President's rule since February after the resignation of chief minister N Biren Singh, as announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 under Article 356 of the Constitution, five days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post.
The violence in Manipur between the Meiteis and the Kukis erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2023. (ANI)