Congress dubs Amit Shah's all-party meet on Manipur crisis 'too little, too late'

A day after Home Minister Amit Shah called for an all-party meeting on June 24 to deliberate on the Manipur crisis, the Congress on Thursday termed BJP's move "too little too late" which came only after CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed the people of the northeastern state.

Taking a dig at Shah, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal said, "Well after 50 days of death and destruction in Manipur, HM Amit Shah's call for an all-party meeting is too little too late. The government only woke up after Sonia Gandhi ji's address to the people of Manipur."

Slamming the government, the Congress leader said that at the outset, the Prime Minister's (Narendra Modi) absence from such a serious meeting displays his "cowardice and unwillingness" to confront his failures. Even when multiple delegations sought meetings with him, he had no time for them, he added.

"The Home Minister himself has presided over this situation and made no progress, in fact things have worsened since his visit. Can we expect genuine peace under his stewardship? Moreover, the continuation of the partisan state government and non-implementation of President's Rule is a travesty," he said.

The Congress Rajya Sabha MP said that "any effort for peace must take place in Manipur, where the warring communities are brought on the discussion table and a political solution is arrived at".

"This effort will lack seriousness if it is done sitting in Delhi. The entire nation expects a serious intervention from the Union Government, which has been missing in action so far," Venugopal added.

On Wednesday, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi in a video statement condoled the deaths in violence-hit Manipur and appealed for peace.

The Congress leader's remarks came a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday said that the Union Home Minister has convened an all-party meeting on June 24 at 3 p.m. in New Delhi to discuss the situation in Manipur.

Home Minister Shah had also visited the strife-torn state for four days (May 29 to June 1) and met a cross-section of people, more than 45 civil society organisations and different political parties as part of his efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn state.

After his visit, the Home Minister had announced a slew of measures to deal with the situation.

Over 100 people have died and around 50,000 forced to live in relief camps following the violent clashes in Manipur since May 3.

The Congress has been questioning the silence of the Prime Minister on the issue. (IANS/NS)