NEW DELHI: Indian Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the Indian central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ongoing violence in Manipur State of India.
In a scathing statement on Friday, Gandhi alleged that PM Modi is allowing Manipur to burn instead of taking steps to quell the unrest. He criticized the prime minister for seemingly neglecting the plight of the people of Manipur and accused him of laughing and raising slogans in Parliament while the state suffered.
Gandhi further highlighted that during his two-hour reply to a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi dedicated a mere two minutes to address the situation in Manipur. The Congress leader reiterated his recent controversial statement that Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had metaphorically “murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur,” emphasizing that these were not empty words.
He called on PM Modi to rise above petty politics and represent the interests of the people by visiting Manipur and engaging with the affected communities.
Response to Rahul Gandhi’s Criticism
In response to Gandhi’s accusations, Pralhad Joshi, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, rebuked the Congress leader. Joshi stated that it appears Gandhi has not properly understood the prime minister’s response and claimed that the Congress and other opposition parties did not anticipate that the government would agree to discuss the Manipur issue.
Joshi echoed PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s call for sensitivity toward the matter and criticized Gandhi’s remarks. “I think Gandhi lost his mental balance, it appears like that. He has not heard the reply. He did not come to the House,” Joshi remarked, as reported by news agency ANI.
The ongoing crisis in Manipur has triggered a heated political debate, with the opposition accusing the government of inadequate action and the ruling party defending its stance.
