AMSU blames Congress for blunder leading to communal crisis in Manipur

On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur, the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) raised concerns over the role played by the Congress party in the ongoing violence in the state.

The AMSU attributed the current communal crisis to the "blunders" committed by previous governments, particularly the Congress party.

During a press conference, the Secretary General of AMSU highlighted a specific incident from 2012 when the Congress party removed the Panchayati raj system from certain areas in Imphal West. This decision resulted in the deletion of four Gram Panchayats and one Zila Parishad constituency from the Manipur Panchayati Raj system, reallocating them to the autonomous district council of Kangopi district. According to AMSU, this move further exacerbated the aspirations of the Kuki nation state.

The AMSU demanded answers from Rahul Gandhi emphasizing that if the party failed to provide satisfactory responses, their presence in Manipur would be deemed meaningless. Rahul Gandhi's visit faced hurdles as he was stopped by Manipur Police about 20 kilometers from Imphal due to concerns of potential violence along the route. Despite this, Gandhi managed to arrive in Imphal and was scheduled to meet those displaced by the ethnic clashes in Churachandpur.

The AMSU further expressed its intention to boycott all Congress party leaders in Manipur and any national Congress leaders visiting the state if they did not respond to their concerns. Additionally, they called upon all political parties, civil society organizations, student organizations, women organizations, and community organizations to refrain from creating divisions and taking political advantage. Instead, they urged everyone to work together towards inclusive peace in Manipur.

In response to AMSU's statement, BJP leaders criticized the Congress party. Amit Malviya, the head of BJP's IT Cell, described the AMSU's statement as a "massive loss of face" for the Congress party and accused Rahul Gandhi of being incorrigible. BJP leaders from Tripura and Priti Gandhi also expressed their disappointment with the Congress party's alleged role in Manipur's challenges.

Meanwhile, the North East Students' Organisation (NESO) questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the violence in Manipur. NESO's president and secretary-general stated that the Prime Minister's silence demonstrated a lack of responsibility towards the region. NESO's chief advisor criticized both the state and central governments for their failure to control the violence, even after the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.