Manipur violence: Akhil Gogoi demands President's Rule in Manipur

Assam independent MLA Akhil Gogoi. File photo

Assam Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi on Friday demanded President's Rule in Manipur, alleging that the ongoing violence in the neighbouring state is the "design of the RSS and BJP". The Raijor Dal party chief also sought the resignation of the N Biren Singh-led state government in the neighbouring state for allegedly failing to control the situation.

"There is turmoil in Manipur, but nobody is bothered. Nobody is coming to control the situation," Gogoi said while reacting to the more than two-month-long violence in the North Eastern state.

His statement came two days after surfacing of a video shot on May 4, in which two tribal women were seen being paraded naked and molested by a group of men. Four of them were arrested on Thursday in connection with the incident that sparked nationwide condemnation.

"We demand President's Rule be declared in Manipur. The state government should resign," said Gogoi, an RTI activist turned politician.

On the incidents of violence reported from the state, Gogoi said, "This is a design of the RSS and the BJP, of Narendra Modi and his government. The RSS and the BJP are trying to polarise the people of Manipur."

The legislator also urged the people of Manipur to restore peace and tranquillity and 'try to understand the design' behind the violence. More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

Meanwhile, raising questions over Police action in the nearly three-month-old video of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, on Friday said that the arrests in this case are just a "face-saver to show that there exists a law and order". She also said that the police are taking action only after the video went viral and not after an FIR was lodged in the matter on May 18. "The FIR was lodged on May 18 and it was a zero FIR. I'm sure that the police had this video but, from May 18 till this date, we are sitting idle without taking any action on it. Now they have taken action because the video has been leaked and got viral," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

(Compiled with inputs from PTI)