Facing Oppn heat on Manipur, PM Modi hits back: ‘Rise above politics, Manipur will reject those fuelling fire’

With the Congress-led Opposition continuing to target the BJP-led NDA dispensation over its handling of the Manipur crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that his government has been making every efforts to restore peace in the strife-torn Northeastern state.

Asking the Opposition to rise above politics on the Manipur issue, PM Modi said, “Some elements are adding fuel to the fire and such elements will be rejected by the people of Manipur.”

In the course of his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address, the PM told the Upper House that 11,000 FIRs have been registered and 500 people arrested in Manipur so far.

“On Manipur, I had spoken elaborately in the last session. But I would like to repeat one more time. To stabilise the situation in Manipur, the government is making relentless efforts. Whatever incidents have happened there, more than 11,000 FIRs have been lodged. Mainpur is a small state. More than 500 people have been arrested,” the PM said.

“We will have to accept that in Manipur, violent incidents are decreasing. This means there is hope for peace. Today, in most parts of Manipur, like normal days, schools, colleges, offices are running. In Manipur too, exams were held there like in other parts,” said Modi.

Manipur has been roiled by ethnic conflict between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zomi communities since May last year.

The PM told the Rajya Sabha that the talks between the Centre, Manipur government and other stakeholders were continuing in order to ensure peace in the state.

“Efforts are being made. It has not happened during the past governments that Union Home Minister has stayed there (in Manipur) for days. The MoS (Home) stayed there for weeks and held