Manipur violence
Armed mobs attacked a BJP mandal office in Imphal late on Friday and set fire to a home in a different locality early on Saturday. The Army and Rapid Action Force (RAF) thwarted multiple attempts to set fire to BJP offices and the homes of the party’s Manipur chief and a state minister.
What happened?
A crowd attempted to torch the home of BJP state president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi near Porompat in Imphal on Friday night after partially burning down the residence of junior foreign minister R K Ranjan Singh on Thursday.
Before the mob could attack Devi’s home, according to sources, an Army column and RAF troopers arrived at the scene and dispersed the crowd. Additionally, RAF soldiers stopped a 300-person crowd from damaging state BJP minister Thongam Biswajit’s residence in the locality.
According to the sources, a different crowd attempted to attack the Irengbam police station while a different gang gheraoed the BJP office in the Singjamei region. Both efforts were unsuccessful. Later, in the Manipur capital, the Army, Assam Rifles, RAF, and state police participated in a unified flag march.
BJP silent on matter
BJP refused comments on the mob attacks, saying “it is a kind of artificial conflict in the state created by some vested groups and the party does not want to fall into the trap”.
Manipur BJP spokesman Elangbam Johnson said: “We are waiting for the right time to speak out. There is pressure from civil society organisations as well as the opposition asking the party why it is silent. The people also will definitely want to know the party’s stand, but we have adopted (the tactic) to remain silent.”
Opposition waiting to meet PM
At least ten opposition party representatives from Manipur, according to the Congress, have reportedly been waiting to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi since June 10.
Jairam Ramesh of Congress said: “We hope before the PM leaves for his foreign trip on June 20, he will find time to meet us.”
In Manipur, the general area of Kangvai near Churachandpur district, which is regarded as the epicentre of the violence that erupted on May 3, intermittent firing was recorded on Friday. There have been no reported casualties.
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