Home » The European Parliament debate- ill informed and biased source

The European Parliament debate- ill informed and biased source

by Rinku Khumukcham
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The armed conflict in Manipur which has entered its third month has added a rather unexpected dimension to the already complex situation with six political groups of the European Parliament having moved separate resolutions on “breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law” in Manipur in the ongoing plenary session in Strasbourg, France each calling for immediate end to violence in the northeastern state and protection of ethnic and religious minorities. The resolutions will be put for debate and voting late Wednesday night. The European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and the EU Conservatives and Reformists group, an anti-federalist political group, moved the motion to exert efforts to halt the ongoing ethnic and religious violence, to protect religious minorities such as the Christian community of Manipur, and restore calm and begin inclusive dialogue with the participation of civil society and affected communities. In response to a scheduled debate in the European Parliament regarding the situation in Manipur, the Indian government has reiterated that the matter is absolutely internal to the country. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra addressed concerns raised by EU parliamentarians, emphasizing that the situation in Manipur is an internal matter of India.
Opposition parties have accused the government of failing to contain the violence, while the government maintains that it has taken appropriate measures although the ground reality cannot be further from the claims made by those guarding their high chairs in the national capital.
While the concern for the loss of human lives and deterioration of law and order situation is understandable, it is rather unfortunate that the ill-informed parliamentarians have been given a distorted narrative which attempted to show the ongoing conflict as a mere religious prosecution of minority Christians by the majority Hindu Meiteis. It would have done justice to their efforts had they invested more efforts and time in looking up and digging through the piles of false narratives and propagandas floating around since the conflict erupted on May 3. It is also unfortunate that the numbers mentioned to reinforce their argument are totally off the mark which further underscores the point that their understanding of the situation is fed through biased sources.
But what is most unfortunate and baffling is the brave stance taken by the Indian government in announcing that appropriate measures have been taken, for if by appropriate measures, it meant to say that few under armed security personnel have been deployed around valley areas where farming activities are being carried out as security measures instead of disarming and chasing away the heavily armed Narco-terrorists who are still firing upon the farmers and villagers from their well entrenched positions without restraint, while the Rapid Action Forces and Assam Rifles personnel deployed to safeguard the public have been accused of turning against them while the Prime Minister who have frequented the state with oodles of promises have failed to utter a single word on the matter ever since the armed conflict started, with even his emissary making a U turn after a visit during the early days of the conflict, then they are right.
What the state needs at present is understanding and constitutional remedies rather than meddling comments and everyone concerned should work towards that goal. Anything else will only put fuel to fire and prolong the situation further.

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