Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Saturday asked the Union government to send an all-party delegation to ethnic violence-hit Manipur to review the situation in the northeastern state amid continuing clashes there.
“To boost the confidence of the people of Manipur and to provide healing touch, the All India Trinamool Congress demands that an all-party delegation be sent to Manipur within the next one week.
“The message till now from the Centre has been that of ignorance, which needs to change to healing, caring, restoring peace and harmony,” read a statement issued by Trinamool.
Trinamool also criticised Home Minister Amit Shah for ‘ignoring’ West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s proposal to visit the violence-ridden northeastern state.
According to Trinamool, although the Chief Minister had on May 29 written to Shah requesting permission to travel to Manipur for a one-day visit, no response has come from the Home Ministry even after three weeks.
Trinamool also launched a scathing attack on Shah over his handling of the Manipur crisis.
According to Trinamool, although the Home Minister visited Manipur nearly a month after violence broke out in the state, he only visited the camps and met select people.
“The Home Minister did not meet the people on the streets who have been traumatised by the violence. The three-day visit of the Home Minister did not improve the situation at all. In fact, the situation deteriorated after his visit,” the statement read.
Claiming that the Union government should acknowledge its failures and correct the course of action, the Trinamool said the Centre will now have to decide whether it wants to create divisions to suit the interests of a political party, or it wants lasting unity and peace.
–IANS