New Delhi, Mar 19: The Congress on Tuesday welcomed the decision of six judges of the Supreme Court to visit Manipur and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the troubled state.
Justice B R Gavai and five other Supreme Court judges will visit the relief camps in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on March 22, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has said.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said his party welcomes the decision.
Speaking to PTI, he recalled that in August 2023, the Supreme Court said that there was an absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery in the northeastern state.
Slamming the government, Ramesh questioned Modi’s “silence” on Manipur. “He goes around the world, goes to Assam, elsewhere, but doesn’t go to Manipur even as people of the state continue to wait and wait and wait for his visit,” the Congress leader said.
Later, in a post on X, he said the state of affairs in Manipur since May 3, 2023, has been one that raises several questions.
On August 1, 2023, the Supreme Court said that there was an “absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery” in the state and despite such a harsh statement from the topmost court, the Modi government took almost 18-19 months to impose President’s rule, Ramesh said.
Why did it take 18 months to impose President’s rule, he asked.
“Why was there no full-time Governor in Manipur for six months? Why did they remove a tribal lady, a distinguished political personality, and give additional charge to the governor of Assam?” the Congress leader posed.
He noted that the Modi government eventually brought a retired civil servant as a full-time governor. Why was the retired civil servant in question chosen and why did his appointment take so long? he asked.
“Most importantly, why is the prime minister still silent on Manipur? Our Frequent Flyer jets all over the world. He goes to Assam and he visits other parts of the northeast. But why does he refuse to go to Manipur?” Ramesh said.
“The pain of Manipur is the pain of India and I’m glad that the judges of the Supreme Court are going there. Perhaps this visit will provide answers to some of these questions,” he said.
Over 200 people were killed, several hundred injured and thousands displaced since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, 2023, when a “tribal solidarity march” was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for scheduled tribe status.
NALSA said Justice Gavai, also its executive chairman, along with Supreme Court justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, M M Sundresh, K V Viswanathan and N Kotiswar Singh would visit relief camps on the occasion of the duodecennial celebrations of the Manipur High Court.
“Nearly two years after the devastating sectarian violence of May 3, 2023, which led to the loss of hundreds of lives and displaced over 50,000 people, many continue to seek refuge in relief camps across Manipur,” NALSA said in its March 17 press release.
The judges’ visit highlights the ongoing need for legal and humanitarian assistance to these affected communities, it added.
NALSA said that during the visit, Justice Gavai would virtually inaugurate legal service camps and medical camps across the state besides new legal aid clinics in Imphal East, Imphal West and Ukhrul districts.
According to NALSA, essential relief materials would be distributed to the internally displaced persons.(PTI)
