India’s opposition calls out Narendra Modi government for ‘brazen indifference’ over violence in Manipur

Opposition members say it is ‘beyond doubt’ the Indian government has failed to control violence in Manipur

File image: Multiparty delegation started its two-day visit to violence-torn Manipur during the weekend (AP)

A group of aligned opposition parties in India carried out a two-day visit to the violence-stricken state of Manipur and lashed out at prime minister Narendra Modi for his “brazen indifference” over the civil strife that has carried on for months.

At least 130 people have been killed and 400 wounded since violence gripped the northeastern state in May. More than 60,000 have been forced from their homes as the army, paramilitary forces and police struggle to quell violence.

The ongoing violence in Manipur is raising fears of a “civil war” as two of the state’s largest communities, the Kukis and Meiteis, are up in arms against each other.

The multiparty delegation’s visit comes as a shocking video of an attack in May recently emerged, in which two Kuki women were paraded naked by Meitei men shortly after their village was razed, in the latest use of terror against women in the region.

On Sunday, the delegation, comprising 21 parties, met Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey and submitted a memorandum requesting the restoration of peace and harmony in the region, with justice being the cornerstone of their appeal.

“In order to bring peace and harmony, rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected persons is most urgent,” the note said, according to Indian media.

Lashing out at Mr Modi for his silence, the delegation said the violence that has engulfed several parts of the state showed “his brazen indifference to the violence in Manipur,” citing figures of the destruction in the ethnic conflict that has continued for over three months now.

Mr Modi broke his silence on the violence in Manipur more than two months after the conflict began, after the video of the attack on the women had emerged. He said the incident had “shamed India” and said the guilty will not be spared.

“The failure of both the Central and state government to protect the lives and properties of the people of the two communities is apparent from the figures of more than 140 deaths, more than 500 injuries, burning of more than 5,000 houses and internal displacement of more than 60,000 people,” the memorandum said.

Reports of incessant firing and arson of houses in the last few days establishes, “beyond doubt”, that the state machinery has completely failed to control the situation for the last almost three months, the opposition’s memorandum alleged.

The delegation visited relief camps at Churachandpur, Moirang and Imphal, and interacted with survivors and inmates in the relief camps, they said.