In a scathing parliamentary address, Outer Manipur Congress MP Alfred Arthur criticized Chief Minister N Biren Singh, alleging that his speeches are filled with violent rhetoric. Arthur’s remarks came during a discussion on the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, highlighting the ongoing turmoil in Manipur.
“Every day, the words that come out from his mouth are that of beating, killing, and violence. What is this? Is this my country?” said Arthur, expressing deep concern over the state of affairs in Manipur. He questioned the absence of Union ministers in the state post-2023, asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi why no central representatives have been present to address the crisis.
Arthur’s speech continued, “If he [PM Modi] is a true person, he is intelligent… but the people in Manipur have not got food to eat. Whom to ask? Whom to say? My family sacrificed their lives not to see this day. We are all Indians.”
Addressing the parliament, Arthur detailed the dire economic and social conditions in Manipur. “Manipur has the lowest per capita income and the highest inflation. How do you expect a state that is lowest in income and paying the highest prices to survive? You already have a conflict, and now, unprecedented floods have hit us – the worst in 35 years,” he stated, criticizing the Finance Minister’s budget as anti-people.
Arthur also reminisced about his family’s contributions to the nation, particularly his grand uncle, Major Bob Rowling, who played a significant role in the nation’s history. “Today you are burning my state. Did he ever think that this nation would let go of his own people, whom he so fondly called his people and his nation?” he questioned.
He further highlighted the plight of the Manipur people, especially those displaced by the conflict. “Can you not even hear the cries of the women and children who cannot go back to their homes in one state, a small state with a 30 lakh population? My people have borne this conflict for 15 months.”
Arthur urged the government to replace Chief Minister N Biren Singh to restore peace in Manipur. “Is it so difficult to replace one man and bring peace to our area?” he asked, emphasizing that the NDA government has failed to address the state’s crisis effectively.
He called for greater inclusion of the Northeast in the national tourism map to create job opportunities and reduce dependency on other regions for survival. “Our youngsters are jobless in the Northeast. Had tourism been encouraged in the Northeast, our people wouldn’t have to look to the rest of the country for survival.”
Notably, Dr. A Bimol Akoijam from Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency MP had in his maiden speech condemned the Union government’s silence on the ongoing crisis in Manipur. “I will keep quiet the moment Prime Minister opens his mouth and the nationalist party says that Manipur is part of India, and say that we care about the people of that state [Manipur]. Only then I will accept what is nationalism in our face,” Bimol had said.
Dr. Bimol Akoijam had criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence for not addressing the situation despite the escalating violence and suffering in the state. He further criticized the BJP’s policies and questioned the absence of any meaningful intervention to protect the state’s year long crisis and the suffering of its people.
