Manipur has been facing widespread violence between the majority Meitei community and tribals, according to recent police reports.
The All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) organized a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in protest of the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the non-tribal Meitei community, who make up 53% of the state’s population.
The march was held in the ten hill districts of the state and turned violent in the Torbung area of the Churachandpur district, where an armed mob allegedly attacked people from the Meitei community. This led to retaliatory attacks in the valley districts, escalating the violence throughout the state.
Police reported that many shops and houses were vandalized and set on fire in Torbung, with the violence lasting for over three hours.
The response from the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, has come under criticism. Many have accused the government of prioritizing the ongoing elections in Karnataka over the situation in Manipur.
Former CM Veerappa Moily while addressing press in Mangaluru, likened the Prime Minister to Roman emperor Nero, who famously fiddled while Rome burned. He criticized Modi for campaigning aggressively in the Karnataka state elections, stating that no prime minister in the history of India has campaigned so intensely.
Moily argued that this showed how worried the Prime Minister is about the election result, and that if he were confident of winning, he would not have campaigned with such intensity.
Criticism has also been levied at Home Minister Amit Shah, who was also campaigning for BJP candidates in Karnataka. According to the sources, Shah has cancelled his scheduled campaigning meetings and rallies to fly to Manipur, but this decision has been met with further criticism on social media. Many netizens have accused both Modi and Shah of prioritizing elections over the well-being of a state facing widespread violence.
The situation in Manipur remains tense, with reports of violence continuing to come in. It is important for the central government to take swift action to bring the situation under control and prevent further harm to the people of Manipur. The criticism of Modi and Shah highlights the need for leaders to prioritize the needs of the people they serve over political gain.
Election rallies are more important than people’s lives!#ManipurIsBurning pic.twitter.com/lmLH548xcV
— Neeraj Kundan (@Neerajkundan) May 4, 2023
Prime Minister & Home Minister are busy sowing the seeds of polarisation & division in #Karnataka by weaving fake narratives as #Manipur_is_burning !
A decisive defeat for BJP in Karnataka is the only guarantee of serving National Interest.
Time to sack Home Minister, Sh. Amit… pic.twitter.com/ExP8uI3WwF
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 4, 2023
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