Manipur Congress links IED blast to Centre’s ‘failure’, accuses BJP of prolonging crisis

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Keisham Meghachandra Singh sharply criticised the Centre following a high-level meeting in New Delhi between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the state’s Director General of Police, Chief Secretary and Governor, alleging that the discussions had failed to chart a course towards peace and normalcy in the violence-hit state.

Speaking to the media, Meghachandra said the outcome of the meeting was “not favourable for bringing peace and restoring the situation in Manipur”, and went on to link it to a fresh incident of violence reported hours later. 

He said that around 6 am on Monday, January 5, an IED blast occurred at Nganukon, in which two local residents were injured. According to him, the incident was reflective of the continuing instability in the state and underscored the failure of the Centre’s approach following the Delhi meeting.

Accusing the central government of lacking intent to resolve the crisis, the Congress leader said New Delhi was “not interested in bringing peace and normalcy to Manipur”, alleging that the prevailing situation was “its own creation”. He further claimed that the Centre was deliberately prolonging President’s Rule in the state, even if it meant violating constitutional principles.

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“This is nothing but the murder of democracy in Manipur and an underestimation of the will of the people,” Meghachandra said, adding that the people of the state do not want “direct control from Delhi”. He asserted that continued central intervention without restoring peace was deepening public distrust and political uncertainty.

Meghachandra also suggested that if both the central and state governments were unable to bring the situation under control, dissolving the Manipur Assembly and holding fresh elections would be the most democratic way forward. He squarely blamed the BJP for the ongoing violence, describing the party as the “architect of the present crisis” and accusing it of pursuing a “divide-and-rule” policy in the state.

Calling for an impartial approach, the Congress leader said that if the central government was genuinely serious about restoring peace, it must take firm and unbiased measures to control the situation on the ground, instead of relying on prolonged central rule.