Extension of President's Rule in Manipur will undermine democratic spirit, people don't want it: Cong

Imphal, July 25 (IANS) Opposition Congress on Friday said that extension of the President's Rule in Manipur would undermine the democratic spirit and the people of the state do not want it.

Manipur State Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh said that the "double-engine" governments have utterly failed to deal with the Manipur situation and the extension of the President's Rule is an instance.

The Union Government wanted to extend the President’s Rule for another six months as there is no suitable (BJP) leader in the state.

“President's Rule is a temporary measure for the restoration of peace and normalcy. Continuance of President's Rule due to issues related to internal law and order is unprecedented," Singh, also a Congress MLA, told the media.

He said that the President’s Rule was imposed and now being extended because the BJP, despite having the numbers, failed to elect a capable leader to steer the government.

The Congress leader criticised both the NDA government at the Centre and the former BJP-led government in the state for their lack of initiative in resolving the ongoing crisis.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is set to extend the President's Rule in Manipur for another six months from August 13 and a notice for bringing a statutory resolution on it has been given to the Rajya Sabha, which has been admitted by the chair.

The Rajya Sabha is yet to take up the notice, which would likely be listed next week. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Thursday said, "Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation has given a notice of the following Resolution which has been admitted :- 'That this House approves the continuance in force of the Proclamation dated the 13 February, 2025 in respect of Manipur, issued under article 356 of the Constitution by the President, for a further period of six months with effect from 13 August, 2025'."

The BJP, which along with its allies have sufficient strength in the 60-member Manipur Assembly to form a new government in the state for months.

The state leaders including former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on a number of occasions went to Delhi and persuaded the Central BJP leaders to form the popular government in the state.

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, four days after the resignation of Biren Singh from the Chief Minister’s post.

At least 260 people have been killed and over 60,000 people of different communities rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023 in the state.

--IANS

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