RJD's Manoj Jha writes to President Murmu over Manipur violence, urges imposition of President's Rule as "last resort"
May 05, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 5 : Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Friday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu expressing deep concerns about the recent spate of violence in Manipur.
He also urged her to consider imposing the President's Rule in the Northeast state, considering the prevailing situation.
Jha, in his letter to President Murmu, said, "I am writing to express my deep concern about the recent spate of violence in Manipur, which has been alarmingly widespread and has resulted in loss of life and property."
"As you are aware, Manipur has a complex ethnic and political landscape, with several communities living in the region. Ethnic conflicts with their roots in the colonial era have been a significant challenge for the state. The demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community has been a contentious issue, with other communities in Manipur opposing it," he said.
"This issue has led to violence and protests in the past, and the recent escalation of violence is a matter of grave concern. The situation has only worsened recently due to the partisan attitude of the state government and its complete failure to maintain law and order," the MP stated further in his letter.
"You might be aware that the violence has affected innocent civilians, disrupted normal life, and created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. Majoritarian violence in one state of the country conveys impunity for similar violence in rest of the country and provides encouragement to destabilizing forces | therefore urge you to consider imposing the President's Rule in Manipur," he added.
RJD MP urged President Murmu to consider the imposition of the President's Rule as a last resort. "But I believe that in the current situation, it is necessary to protect the lives and property of the people of Manipur so I urge you to ask the union government to take immediate action to address the situation and ensure that peace and stability are restored in the state," he added.
Earlier, on May 3, violence broke out in Manipur during the 'Tribal Solidarity March' called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the Torbung area of Churachandpur district.
The march was in protest against the high court asking the Centre to consider including the Meitei community, which inhabits the Imphal Valley, in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).