At least 180 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in sectarian battles in the northeastern state of Manipur since May. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Tuesday that calm was returning to the region.
As Modi campaigns for a third term in the upcoming general election, scheduled for May of next year, the federal government has sent security personnel to the highland state bordering Myanmar run by his nationalist party in an effort to quell the violence.
There have been reports of prolonged tranquilly for a few days now. We stand in solidarity with the people of Manipur. At the Red Fort in New Delhi, Modi spoke on Independence Day and urged the people of Manipur to maintain the calm that has been established in recent days.
Competition for government advantages tied to education, jobs, and influence sparked the conflict between the majority Meitei ethnic group and the minority Kuki.
Twenty-one females have lost their lives thus far. The world’s attention has been riveted on a spate of rapes that have called into doubt Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ability to maintain order.
The opposition parties accuse Modi’s government of splitting the state and not doing enough to end the confrontations, despite Modi’s condemnation of the sexual assault of women in Manipur and promises of severe action.
The government, which was accused of mishandling the dispute and faced a vote of no confidence from the opposition last Thursday, strongly denies these allegations.
To find a peaceful solution, “the state and federal governments are working very hard and will continue to work hard,” Modi added.
Thousands of residents in Manipur have abandoned their homes, and a civil rights group there says they are too afraid to go back without financial aid and legal protection. The chief minister of Manipur’s state raised India’s tricolour flag above the state capital of Imphal on August 15 to celebrate Independence Day, and officials reported no incidents of violence.
Modi spoke of his dedication to progress and building India an economic superpower and detailed the social, economic, and pro-poor initiatives enacted during his nine years in power.
The alliance of Indian opposition parties known as “INDIA” has predicted that Modi’s Independence Day speech will be his last since his party will be crushed in the upcoming elections.
“Modi’s failure in last nine years can be categorised under bad policies, injustice, and perhaps most importantly ill intention,” said Jairam Ramesh, a federal legislator from the opposition Congress party.
“Rhetoric and bluster can no longer cover up this truth which is now evident to the entire country,” he declared.
