WASHINGTON: A large number of people held a protest demonstration against the ongoing violence in Manipur in front of the White House and asked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence over Manipur violence. Many of the protesters were members of the Kuki tribe from Manipur. They held posters and banners reading “Stop attacking villages” and “Prime Minister Modi: Hear the cries of Kuki tribe, stop the state-backed pogrom in Manipur, India”.
Protest Held Against Modi Outside White House
Lien Gangte, a member of the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA) said, “Modi has been deafeningly silent over the ongoing violence. He demanded that Modi should break his silence over the ethnic violence in the state of Manipur.
Another protestor, Arjun Sethi said that hundreds of them gathered outside the White House to demand that US President Biden and the Congress must ask tough questions to Modi about human rights abuses, internet blackouts, hate violence against Muslims, Dalits, and other minorities in India.
“Washington is permitting Modi’s human rights abuses by hosting him for a state dinner,” he maintained.
People from the Kuki tribal expressed deep disappointment and said that no questions related to their issues were raised during the joint press conference addressed by Modi and Biden.
NAMTA also wrote a letter to President Biden emphasizing the conditions of the minority Kuki-Zomi tribes in Manipur. The letter urged to the president to take immediate steps before the crisis escalates further.
Earlier, Former US President Barack Obama has warned of consequences if New Delhi did not protect minorities in the South Asian country, CNN reported on Thursday. The former President called for the safety of minorities in India as Biden hosts Narendra Modi in Washington.
In an interview with CNN, Obama said that “If you do not protect the rights of minorities in India, then there is a very strong possibility that India at some point starts pulling apart.”
