A file image of a protest led by civilians in Manipur (AT Photo)
Imphal, Dec. 18: As many as 19 civil society organisations (CSOs) based in Manipur have written to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), seeking an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.
In its letter, the organisations sought the Prime Minister's immediate intervention to end the prolonged crisis. The civil bodies include the Committee of Peaceful Coexistence (CPC), Meetei/ Meitei Tribe Union (MTU), Federal Students' Organisation (FESOK), United Meetei-Pangal Committee (UMPC), and Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF).
The civil society groups are also readying to jointly organise a rally in New Delhi on December 22. They said that the demonstration would aim to draw the attention of the countrymen towards the over 19-month-old problem in Manipur and to find ways to facilitate peace talks between the two warring groups.
The letter requested for an appointment with the Prime Minister by December 25.
Violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, and has continued with only intermittent spells of lull.
Meanwhile, major civil society organisations and the Opposition have constantly hit out at the BJP Government at the Centre over its handling of the Manipur crisis and repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged silence on the issue.
Congress MP from Manipur, Bimol Akoijam, on December 14 stated that he was "deeply offended" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's failure to address the Manipur issue, adding that he does not wish to listen to his (Modi's) speech on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday raised the issue of unabated violence in Manipur and asked why Prime Minister Modi had not had the time to visit the State.
Participating in a discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India', the Congress chief said that the Prime Minister had not had the time to assess the situation in Manipur for the past one-and-a-half years.
