Manmohan, Sonia were silent for 123 days on Manipur crisis in 2011: Assam CM

Guwahati, July 22 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday sharpened his attack on Congress over the Manipur issue by posting a series of tweets.

Referring to the recurrent economic blockades Manipur once used to witness, Sarma alleged that during UPA's tenure in 2011, petrol and LPG prices had skyrocketed in Manipur due to the economic blockade that lasted more than 120 days; however, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi did not utter a single word in those crisis hours, the Assam CM said.    

He wrote on Twitter, “Cong is suddenly displaying immense interest in Manipur. Important to rewind a bit and look at PM Manmohan Singh’s own response to similar crises in the state. The party’s duplicity is simply alarming.”

According to Sarma, during UPA’s tenure, Manipur became the blockade capital of the country. Between 2010 and 2017, when Congress ruled the state, every year there were blockades ranging from 30 days a year to up to 139 days a year, Sarma claimed.

He also said that petrol and LPG prices went up to Rs 240 and Rs 1,900 a litre during each of these blockades, translating into a complete humanitarian crisis.

“2011 saw one of the worst blockades in Manipur lasting for more than 120 days,” Sarma added.

The Assam Chief Minister claimed that in 2011, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi didn’t even utter a word for those 123 days when Manipur was burning. 

He also claimed that during 2004-2014, when Congress was ruling the nation and the state, more than 991 civilians and security personnel were killed in Manipur. Since May 2014 till date, this tragic statistic has reduced by 80 per cent, he claimed.

Sarma wrote, “The pain arising from multi ethnic conflicts in Manipur has its genesis in faulty policies of Congress governments during formative years of the state. Repairing fault-lines created by seven decades of misgovernance will take time.”