Congress MP Bimol Akoijam says Manipur’s ‘abnormal’ situation being wrongly presented as normal

Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has sharply criticised attempts to portray the current situation in Manipur as normal, stating that the reality on the ground remains deeply troubling and far from resolved. 

Speaking on November 22, Akoijam said that people have been “segregated in terms of their community” and denied access to their homes as well as essential public facilities.

He noted that even after more than a year of conflict, thousands continue to live in relief camps, barred from returning to their neighbourhoods. “People have been trying to normalise what is essentially an abnormal condition,” he said, pointing out that access restrictions still exist for hospitals, highways, and even airports, depending on one’s community identity.

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Commenting on the State Identification Revision (SIR), the MP alleged that the government has been misleading the public about the procedures. He compared the ongoing process with past exercises, stating that the 2003 revision and similar exercises in Bihar followed completely different protocols.

“They have been telling a lot of lies about procedures to be followed,” he said. “The revision is part of a normal process, but the intention, the process, the procedures they have adopted—these are against all constitutional propriety. It is quite obvious that it is a politically motivated move. It’s very unfortunate.”

Akoijam said the people of Manipur are living under extraordinary, abnormal circumstances and urged the government to stop misrepresenting the ground reality. He added that restoring basic rights, free movement, and access to essential services must be prioritised before any claims of normalcy can be made.