“Peace talks…that’s the only way out”: DMK MP Kanimozhi on Manipur

NEW DELHI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi who was part of the delegation of the Opposition INDIA alliance visiting Manipur has said that peace talks are the only way to bring normalcy to the State.

DMK MP, while talking to ANI further said that Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey is also concerned about the situation in the state and asked the Opposition leaders to tell the Central government what they have witnessed during their visit.

"We have expressed our concerns to the Governor, and she is also concerned and wants us to tell the union government what we have seen...we will ask for a debate and we want to tell the government what we have seen and people even want delegation of all party leaders to visit there (Manipur) and see what is happening...there must be peace talks, that's the only way out,”DMK MP Kanimozhi said.

Kanimozhi was talking to ANI soon after returning to Delhi from Manipur.

The 21-member delegation of the grand Opposition alliance, on Saturday, arrived on a two-day visit to the State, which has seen ethnic strife and violence since May 3.

The delegation returned to Delhi on Sunday afternoon. On the first day of their two-day whirlwind tour, the opposition MPs visited several relief camps in Imphal, Moirang in the Bishnupur district, and Churachandpur and met victims of ethnic clashes.

The INDIA delegation, including Congress's deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, split into two groups, with Chowdhury leading one to relief camps at the boys' hostel of Churachandpur College, and Gogoi leading the other to the relief camp at Don Bosco School at Churachandpur.

On Sunday, leaders met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhawan and handed over a memorandum to her and requested her to restore peace and harmony by taking all effective measures, "where justice should be the cornerstone".

"In order to bring peace and harmony, rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected persons is most urgent. You are also requested to apprise the Union Government of the complete breakdown of law and order in Manipur for the last 89 days so as to enable them to intervene in the precarious situation in Manipur to restore peace and normalcy," the memorandum reads.

In the memorandum, the leaders said claimed that the violence has claimed more than 140 deaths.

“The failure of both the Central and state government to protect the lives and properties of the people of the two communities is apparent from the figures of more than 140 deaths, more than 500 injuries, burning of more than 5000 houses and internal displacement of more than 60,000 people. From the reports of incessant firing and arson of houses in the last few days, it is established beyond doubt that the State machineries have completely failed to control the situation for the last almost three months,” it said, adding that the condition in the relief camps is pathetic is, to say the least.

The leaders returned to Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

The 21-member Opposition delegation from both Houses included Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, K Suresh, and Phulo Devi Netam of the Congress; Rajiv Ranjan Lalan Singh of the JDU; Sushmita Dev from Trinamool Congress; Kanimozhi from DMK; Sandosh Kumar of the CPI; AA Rahim from CPI(M), Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD; Javed Ali Khan of SP; Mahua Maji of JMM; PP Mohammed Faizal of NCP; Aneel Prasad Hegde of JDU, ET Mohammed Basheer of IUML; NK Premachandran of RSP; Sushil Gupta of AAP; Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT); D Ravikumar of VCK; Thiru Thol Thirumavalavan also of VCK; and Jayant Singh of the RLD.