The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre over their inaction regarding the situation in Manipur.
NESO organised a press conference at Hotel Prag Continental where they addressed the concerning situation in Manipur regarding the communal violence and questioned the silence of PM Modi and his government over the matter.
The organisation demanded that the Centre takes steps to bring back normalcy to the violence stricken northeastern state.
Meanwhile, the umbrella organisation of student bodies including the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) also announced a candle march on June 28 in all northeastern state capitals protesting the inaction of the government and calling on it to bring the situation in Manipur under control.
They said that even after the visit of Union home minister Amit Shah, normalcy has not returned to the state with stray incidents of violence and unruly incidents reported every other day.
In a statement dated June 22, the organisation wrote, “The NESO would like to express its deep sense of sorrow at the ongoing incidents of violence resulting in the loss of precious lives and destruction of properties. In this context, NESO is expressing its solidarity with the suffering of Manipur and calls for peace to prevail and immediate cessation of all sorts of violence and vandalism in this highly volatile situation. NESO appeals to al the citizens of Manipur to not believe and spread fake news, misinformation and false propaganda which will only worsen the situation.”
The statement also said, “The NESO squarely blames both the state and central governments for their utter failure in controlling and stopping violence even after more than 45 days of conflict in spite of the visit of Union Home Minister and the presence of additional armed forces in Manipur numbering more than 40,000 personnel. NESO expresses its shock and surprise at the Prime Minister for maintaining a state of silence till date on the happenings in Mnipur. His total silence will only further alienate the indigenous people of the North East. The NESO urged upon the PM to speak up lest the Government of India has a hidden agenda behind his inaction.”
“The NESO in the meanwhile will hold a candle light vigil in all state capitals on the 28th June 2023 appealing for peace and to shun violence so that peace and tranquility once again prevails in Manipur,” the statement concluded.
