Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has questioned the state government’s handling of the prevailing law and order situation, particularly the security of people living in the hill and valley areas.
Addressing a press meet at Congress Bhawan, Imphal, Ibobi said the law and order situation had remained a matter of concern for several years, with recurring incidents of violence and killings affecting different communities.
Questioning the government’s response to such incidents, he said merely condemning the violence and handing over cases to agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would not be sufficient unless effective measures were taken to prevent their recurrence.
Referring to the period from August 31 to September 26, Ibobi claimed that incidents of violence and killings had continued to occur frequently. He also referred to reports of clashes involving Kuki and Naga groups and questioned the effectiveness of the government’s security measures.
Ibobi asked how long people in both the hills and valley would have to live without adequate safety and security, and sought clarity on the government’s roadmap for resolving the prolonged crisis.
On reports of involvement of foreign elements, he said that if such involvement was established, the Centre should take appropriate action.
He also questioned the deployment of central forces, including CRPF CoBRA personnel, in the hill areas, asking where they had been deployed and what specific role they were expected to perform in the prevailing situation.
