Manipur crisis raised at AICC National meet; Congress leader questions Centre’s silence

The prolonged ethnic violence and deepening instability in Manipur resonated at the national level on Monday as Ayam Oken strongly raised the issue during the “National Meeting of DCC Chairpersons SC Department (Southern States)” organised by the All India Congress Committee Scheduled Cast Department at Indira Bhavan, New Delhi.
The high-level meeting, chaired by Rahul Gandhi, was attended by Rajendra Pal Gautam and senior Congress leaders from several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Telangana and Punjab.
Addressing the gathering, Ayam Oken spoke in detail about the continuing crisis in Manipur since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, and described the situation as a humanitarian and political failure that continues to devastate ordinary citizens, including Scheduled Cast communities.
He reportedly informed the national leadership that despite more than three years of unrest, the conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities remains unresolved, while fresh tensions are now emerging between Kuki and Naga groups, further aggravating the fragile situation in the hill districts. He alleged that innocent civilians are effectively living as “hostages” amid fear, displacement and insecurity, while both the state and Central governments have failed to restore confidence among the people.
Ayam Oken also launched a sharp criticism against the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Manipur, accusing them of remaining indifferent to the suffering of the people. He stated that the people of Manipur are increasingly questioning whether the Centre still considers them equal citizens of India, alleging that New Delhi has failed to respond to the crisis with the seriousness it deserves.
Drawing a comparison with the Centre’s response to terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the Government of India had carried out operations such as surgical strikes and Operation Sindur in response to attacks there, but despite repeated incidents of violence, killings and destruction in Manipur, the BJP government has continued to remain a “silent spectator.”
Warning that the situation could deteriorate further if immediate intervention is not made, Ayam Oken said the ongoing violence cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. He cautioned that unresolved tensions and the absence of decisive political action could push the state into deeper instability and widen existing ethnic fault lines.
Calling for urgent political intervention, he urged the AICC leadership to intensify pressure on the BJP-led governments both at the Centre and in the state to ensure restoration of peace, protection of civilians and return to normalcy in Manipur.
The issue of Manipur reportedly received serious attention during the national meeting, held under the slogan “Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan, Jai Congress.”