Biren govt’s continuance major hurdle in restoring peace in Manipur: Left leaders

The continuance of the Biren Singh government is a major impediment in restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur, claimed a joint delegation of CPI (M) and CPI parliamentarians following a three-day visit to the violence-hit northeastern state.
In a statement, the parties said all communities and sections along with the civil society need to be brought on board for a meaningful exercise to “bring the state from the edge”.
The delegation of Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and John Brittas of the CPI(M) and Binoy Viswam, K Subbarayan and P Sandosh Kumar of CPI visited refugee camps in the state for three days from July 6.
“The delegation, which interacted with the refugees in the plains and hills could not miss the fact that there was a striking similarity in their long ordeal. More than 60,000 people have been uprooted, their lives and livelihoods devastated. They are haunted by the trauma of their houses being set ablaze and family members shot dead.
“The delegation had frank discussions with cross-sections of the civil society. The dominant view was that the state administration collapsed completely with the chief minister losing legitimacy and credibility,” according to a statement from the delegation.
It said that the joint delegation of CPI (M) and CPI, after visiting strife-torn Manipur, is of the view that the continuance of the Biren Singh government is a “major impediment in restoring peace and normalcy in the state”.
People in the state are “pained and hurt at the deafening silence of the prime minister”, the statement claimed.