New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday discussed the issue of ethnic violence in Manipur as the Opposition charged the government with neglecting the issue and poor handling of the crisis, while the government hit back that Manipur is in the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Participating in the discussion, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil emphasised the need for a unified approach to address Manipur’s issues.
“The message should go out that our hearts are with people in every corner of the country. The pain of Manipur is not just the state’s pain; it is the pain of the entire nation,” he said.
Gohil argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have visited Manipur to demonstrate solidarity with its people.
“When will the people of Manipur feel that the nation stands with them? If the parliaments of England and Europe can discuss this issue, why can’t we?” he questioned.
Highlighting the scale of the crisis, Gohil said that over 60,000 people have been displaced, and hundreds have lost their lives over the past 21 months.
He criticised the allocation of Rs 2,866 crore from Manipur’s budget for incentives to police in sensitive areas, arguing that these funds should come from the central government. He also noted that only Rs 100 crore had been allocated for relief efforts despite the scale of displacement.
Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev pointed out that Manipur faced an Internet shutdown for 212 days.
Hitting back at the Opposition, BJP MP Ajit Madhavrao asserted that Prime Minister Modi “has Manipur in his heart.” He highlighted the increase in Manipur’s annual budget from Rs 2,122 crore before 2014 to Rs 10,440 crore for 2025-26.
Madhavrao also listed several development initiatives, including the establishment of an IIT in Imphal in 2020, the redevelopment of Imphal’s railway station, and the approval of 50 National Highway projects.
“The central government has worked on education, health, railways, highways, and sports projects in Manipur,” he said.
He further noted that under the PM Ujjwala Yojana, 2.5 lakh women in Manipur have received benefits, and 2.8 lakh toilets have been constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
“Manipur is Devbhoomi; we should tell the world about its rich culture and positive contributions,” he added.
(IANS)
