Peace can't be restored in Manipur while Biren Singh remains the CM: Congress

The Congress claimed on Sunday that there would be no movement towards peace in Manipur as long as N Biren Singh remains the chief minister as it urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act now and not "deflect, distort and defame to cover up" the "collapse of the so-called double engine governance" in the northeastern state.

The opposition party's attack came over a media report that claimed that an 18-year-old woman, who was abducted, assaulted and gang-raped in Manipur's Imphal East district on May 15, approached the police on July 21, after which a zero First Information Report (FIR) was registered.

In a tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Every passing day as the truth of the horror of Manipur continues to trickle out, it is clear that: The law and order in the state has collapsed. Mobs, armed vigilantes and insurgent groups are running amok. Women and families have faced the worst, unimaginable atrocities." The administration is not only complicit in the violence but has actively fanned hate, he alleged.

Ramesh said the social fabric of the state has been completely torn apart with a total breakdown of trust between communities.

"There won't be any justice or movement towards peace as long as Biren Singh remains CM. The time has long past gone for the Prime Minister to act. He must ACT NOW and not deflect, distort and defame to cover up collapse of the so-called double engine governance in Manipur," the Congress leader said on Twitter.

More than 160 people have lost their lives and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Tension further mounted on Wednesday after a video purportedly shot on May 4 surfaced online, showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a group of men from the other side.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.