Imphal: Meitei protesters boycott PM Modi’s 'Mann ki Baat', smash radio sets

A group of Meitei people, apparently angry over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's continued silence on the raging ethnic violence in Manipur, on Sunday boycotted PM's monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' and shattered their radio sets in protest.

In a video shared on Twitter on Sunday, a group of men and women belonging to the Meitei community are seen raising slogans and purportedly trampling on their radio sets in Imphal East.

Manipur has been witnessing violent ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities since 3 May that have left more than 100 people dead, over 300 injured and thousands displaced.

The protestors gathered at Singjamei area in Imphal East district and chanted “Mann ki baat taningdey (We don’t want to listen to Mann Ki Baat)" as they smashed their radio sets on the ground, scroll.in reported.

All Manipur United Clubs Organisation president Pheiroijam Nando Luwang was quoted by Scroll as saying that the prime minister’s 'Mann Ki Baat' is unnecessary for the residents of Manipur.

“They don’t want to hear the 'Mann Ki Baat' as the prime minister did nothing [to stop the violence],” Luwang said. “Why he is still in the state of mum? The protest was against his silence on the violence even after 46 days.”

Several Opposition parties have criticised Modi for being silent over the violence in Manipur.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Sunday, "So one more Mann ki Baat but Maun (mum) on Manipur. The PM patted himself on the back for India's great capabilities in disaster management. What about the entirely man-made (actually self-inflicted) humanitarian disaster that is confronting Manipur."

The Congress has also asked for an all-party meeting over the issue. A ten-party delegation has been waiting in Delhi for an appointment with Modi since June 12.

It includes representatives from the Congress, Janata Dal (United), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Aam Aadmi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party.