The delegation of 20 legislators from 15 political parties, who are part of a new opposition alliance called INDIA, arrived in Manipur state for a two-day visit to assess the situation on the ground as violence and Ongoing bloodshed has displaced tens of thousands of people in recent months.
The Manipur conflict has become a global issue due to the scale of the violence, said Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, a lawmaker from the opposition Congress party. “Our delegation is here to express its solidarity with the people of Manipur at this time of anguish. The top priority now is to restore normalcy as soon as possible,” he added.
Manipur, nestled in the mountains on the Myanmar border, is on the brink of civil war. Mobs have razed villages and burned down houses and buildings. The conflict was sparked by a controversy over positive discrimination, in which Christian Kukis protested against the request of the Hindu-majority Meiteis for special status that would allow them to buy land in the hills populated by Kukis and other groups. tribals and get a share of public jobs.
After reaching the state capital, Imphal, the legislators traveled to the Churachandpur district, where they visited two refugee camps and spoke with community leaders.
The conflict has caused a deadlock in the Indian Parliament as members of the opposition demand a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the violence rocking the state. On Wednesday, the opposition filed a motion of no confidence against the Modi government. This means that the government will soon face a vote of no confidence in Parliament, which will likely be defeated, as Modi’s party and its allies have a clear majority.
