Silence on Manipur not normal: State MP

New Delhi: Lok Sabha member A Bimol Akoijam expressed his anguish over the absence of any reference to Manipur, a state hit by ethnic violence, in President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. In a fiery speech late Monday night, the first-time Congress member from Inner Manipur drew attention to the 60,000 people living in deplorable conditions in relief camps in the northeastern state for the past year.

He said every inch of Manipur was covered by central armed forces, yet 60,000 people were rendered homeless, and thousands of villages were destroyed. “Our prime minister remains silent, not even uttering a word, and the President’s address failed to mention this. This silence is not normal,” Akoijam said in his speech. He said over 200 people have died, and a civil war-like situation has ensued, with armed individuals roaming around, fighting each other, and defending their villages, while the Indian state has remained a mute spectator to this tragedy for one year.