Guwahati: The BJP-led national and state governments have been under fire from the opposition Congress party for allegedly failing to stop the ethnic violence in Manipur, which has claimed a significant number of lives. The scenario, according to Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi, illustrates the “callousness, negligence, and casualness” of the state government and the “inactivity” of the federal government.
Following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s quest for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which resulted in at least 54 fatalities, violence broke out in the state. Biren Singh, the chief minister of Manipur, and the BJP-led administration under Prime Minister Narendra Modi were accused by Singhvi of lacking statecraft, stateliness, and statesmanship and of fostering the “sad, sordid saga of provoked communities and castes against each other.”
He claimed that despite a 23-year-old ruling by the Supreme Court’s constitution bench that such notifications and approvals, such as the inclusion of STs, cannot be made by state governments or state high courts and must instead be made by a presidential notification, the state government failed to inform the High Court of this.
He questioned why the state government had not raised this as its initial objection during the hearing in the Manipur High Court and why the Manipur ST issue had not received any attention throughout the winter and budget sessions of Parliament.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh blamed the BJP for the tragedy as well, citing a report quoting the Chief Justice of India who questioned why a 2000 constitution bench ruling noting that courts lack the authority to “add or subtract” the ST list was not “shown” to the Manipur High Court. The ruling noted that courts lack the authority to “add or subtract” the ST list.
The Supreme Court ordered the Centre and the Manipur government to step up relief and rehabilitation efforts for people affected by the violence, as well as protecting houses of worship, many of which were attacked during the mayhem, on Monday out of concern for the significant loss of life and property.
Manipur Chief Minister Singh said 60 people have been killed, 231 injured, and 1,700 houses, including religious places, burnt in the violence. The allegations made by the Congress party show how important it is for the BJP-led governments to accept responsibility and take action to stop such tragedies from occurring in the future.