Team I.N.D.I.A.'s recommendations to Manipur governor

21 Opposition MPs of the Indian Nationalist Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc reached strife-torn Manipur on Saturday, July 29, on a two-day visit to assess the ground situation in the north-eastern state.

They visited relief camps in Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Imphal West districts and interacted with the affected people on the first day.

The delegation then called on Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Sunday, July 30, and submitted a memorandum on their observations, urging her to take immediate steps to restore peace and harmony, and implement rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected persons.

In a tweet, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted the full memorandum signed by all 21 MPs, saying that "The anger, anxiety, anguish, pain and sorrow of the people of Manipur seem to make absolutely no difference to the Prime Minister. While he is busy listening to his own voice and forcing down his ‘Mann ki Baat’ on crores of Indians, the 21 MP delegation of Team INDIA is talking about Manipur ki Baat with the Governor of Manipur."

Here are the key observations and recommendations of the memorandum:

1. The MPs recommended that the governor apprise the Union government of the complete breakdown of law and order in Manipur for the last 89 days, so as to enable them to intervene in the precarious situation in Manipur to restore peace and normalcy.

2. The MPs observed, through their visits to the relief camps at Churachandpur, Moirang and Imphal and through interactions with the affected victims, that the state machineries have completely failed to control the situation since violence broke out on May 3.

3. The MPs observed that the condition relief camps are pathetic, highlighting that there have been reports of incessant firing and arson in the past few days.

4. The anger and alienation across all the communities needs to be addressed without delay, the delegation wrote.

5. The MPs recommended that special care needs to be taken for children on a priority basis

6. Observing that the future of students in Manipur remains uncertain across the various streams of education, the delegation said this needs to addressed by the state and central government machineries on priority.

7. The MPs observed that the continued internet ban for the last three months is aiding the spread of unsubstantiated rumours.

8. The team called on the governor to ensure that justice should be the cornerstone of all measures taken to restore peace.

9. Rehabilitation and resettlement of affected persons was urgent, the memorandum stated.

Following their visit, the delegation remarked that the people of Manipur have lost confidence in the chief minister, N. Biren Singh, and asked why he has not been sacked till now.

The MPs asserted that if the conflict in the border state, which has been lingering for around three months and has killed over 160 people and injured more than 600 others, is not resolved soon, it may create security issues for the entire country. They alleged the Centre and the state were not taking any strong steps to deal with the "very serious" situation in Manipur.