Modi breaks silence on Manipur, assures youth on paper leaks in Rajya Sabha speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his “silence” on the situation in Manipur, which has been on the boil since May 3, 2023, when he asserted in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday during the reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address that all requisite efforts were being taken to restore peace and welcomed suggestions and help from all quarters in this regard. He also appealed to the Opposition to rise above party politics and warned those “adding fuel to the fire”.

In his reply that lasted a little over 100 minutes, the prime minister also spoke on the NEET paper leak, assuring the youth that their future will not be jeopardised and those guilty would not be spared. Modi also took jibes at the Opposition which staged a walkout 30 minutes into his speech as the Chair did not heed to its demand for an intervention by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, leaving the floor open for the PM to have his say uninterrupted.

Unlike in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Modi finally heeded to the Opposition criticism that he has skipped Manipur in his speeches both during the election campaign and in his public utterances since he assumed office for the third consecutive term.

“I had spoken at length about Manipur in the last session (February) but want to reiterate my views here. The government is making constant efforts to resolve the issues in Manipur. As regards the various incidents that have taken place there, 11,000 FIRs have been registered so far and more than 500 people have been arrested. We will also have to accept that the cases of violence in Manipur are continuously declining. That means it is now possible to hope for peace. Today, in most parts of Manipur, schools and colleges as well as offices are functioning like during normal times. Exams were conducted there, and children are making progress,” Modi said.

The prime minister informed the House that the Centre and the state government are in talks with everybody concerned to resolve the issues and find solutions in a “peaceful manner”. This, he insisted, has not happened during previous regimes.

“Home Minister (Amit Shah) himself camped there for a few days and the Minister of State for Home (Nityanand Rai) was there for weeks and was in touch with all concerned. The officials are also in constant touch with everybody and all ways of finding a solution to the problems are being explored,” he said.

Two units of NDRF are reaching the state to aid in efforts to deal with the floods in the state, he added.

“We all should rise above politics and try to resolve the problems there. This is our duty. I warn all those elements which are adding fuel to the fire in Manipur to stop these acts. A time will come soon when Manipur will reject them,” he said.

The prime minister underlined that the disturbance and violence in Manipur is not a recent flare-up but its genesis goes back many years.

“Those who know and understand Manipur are aware that there is a long history of differences and struggle in the state. Nobody can deny that the roots of these problems run deep. The Congress should not forget that President’s Rule had to be imposed ten times in Manipur in the past. These problems did not start during our rule. But still, these acts are being done here (in Parliament) for political gains,” Modi said.

He recalled that in 1993 a similar conflagration had taken place in Manipur which was so severe that it continued for five years. “We have to resolve these issues with sensitivity and care. We want to take help from all those who can provide it. We are making all efforts to restore peace,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had alleged in his speech on Monday that Modi and Shah have maintained radio silence on Manipur and are treating the state as one which does not belong to India. Modi finally countered this charge.

“Those who raise questions about the North-East are the ones who had left the region to its fate as it has just a few Lok Sabha seats which does not have much impact (on their strength in the House) and hence was not important for their electoral politics. We are putting all our strength to make the North-East a robust engine of our country’s growth,” Modi said.

Modi also dealt with the NEET and UGC-NET paper leak issue which had found a brief mention in the President’s Address. Gandhi had written a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker demanding a discussion on the issue and has led the Opposition in attacking the government on “more than 70 paper leaks in the last seven years”.

“In her Address, the President has stated that paper leak is a major problem. My expectation was that all parties would rise above party politics and express their views on it. But unfortunately, they (Opposition) have sacrificed such a sensitive issue –– an issue related to the future of the youth –– at the altar of politics. What can be more unfortunate?” Modi said.

He reached out to the youth, who have held several protests across the country on the issue.

“I assure the youth of the country that this government is not going to spare those who have deceived you. Action after action is being taken to ensure that those who have played with the future of the youth get the strictest punishment. A strict law has also been passed. We are working towards ensuring that the youth have no apprehensions and are able to work and achieve their best,” Modi said.