The ongoing violence in Manipur, which began on May 3, 2023, has resulted in over 237 deaths and displaced more than 60,000 people, according to recent reports. Numerous homes, businesses, and places of worship have been destroyed in the unrest that has plagued the northeastern Indian state for over 500 days.
Bomol Akoijam, a newly elected Congress leader from Manipur, has pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the prolonged conflict. Akoijam claims that the violence is a consequence of the "anti-human policies" pursued by Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the BJP.
The Congress MP alleges that the Modi administration has neglected the situation in Manipur, leading to a deterioration of law and order and putting citizens' lives and property at risk. He further asserts that the BJP made unfulfilled promises of a separate state and administration to the people of Manipur during elections.
Akoijam accuses the ruling party of deliberately stoking ethnic tensions for political gain, describing it as a "vicious conspiracy." He specifically alleges that Modi is supporting the Meitei tribe while engaging in what he terms "genocide" against the Kuki tribe, further intensifying the conflict.
The opposition leader's statements highlight the complex ethnic dynamics at play in the region and the political dimensions of the ongoing unrest in Manipur.