Congress criticises delay in President’s rule imposition in Manipur
The President’s rule in Manipur follows months of ethnic violence and political uncertainty.
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Guwahati, Feb 14: The Congress on Thursday criticised the Central Government for delaying the imposition of President’s Rule in strife-torn Manipur, stating that it took 20 months for the ruling BJP to act, allowing significant damage to the state's social fabric.
The decision to impose President’s Rule and place the Manipur Assembly under suspended animation came days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post, deepening political uncertainty in the violence-hit state.
Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh took to X (formerly Twitter) to express the party’s stance, stating, “Finally, what the Indian National Congress has been demanding for almost 20 months has happened. President’s Rule has been imposed in Manipur. This has come after what the Supreme Court called ‘the absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state,’ leading to the deaths of over 300 people and the displacement of more than 60,000 since May 3, 2023.”
He further accused the BJP of misgovernance, pointing out that despite winning a majority in the 2022 Assembly elections, the party's actions resulted in a "colossal tragedy" just 15 months later.
Ramesh also blamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for failing to manage the crisis and took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur amid the unrest.
The Home Ministry’s notification stated that the Manipur Assembly, which has a tenure until 2027, would remain under suspended animation. Biren Singh, who led the BJP government in Manipur, resigned on February 9 after nearly 21 months of ethnic violence.
He submitted his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla following a meeting with Amit Shah. The decision to impose President’s Rule was made after the Governor sent a report to President Droupadi Murmu.