Manipur Congress leader: NDA "attacking" Muslims, other minorities

Manipur Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh announced that the state unit will file a petition against the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act with the Supreme Court, stating that the NDA government is attacking Muslims and other minorities.

The former three-time chief minister claimed that the Act is a gross violation of the Constitution.

"We are totally opposed to this Act. India is a secular nation but the present NDA government is attacking Muslims and other minorities. The state unit of the Congress is preparing to fight the legislation. A team will leave for Delhi and by Wednesday, a petition will be filed at the top court challenging this Act," he told reporters.

“The Waqf (Amendment) Act is a gross violation of the Constitution and it will not be accepted,” he added.

The senior Congress leader also questioned the imposition of President’s rule in the state and wondered why the BJP was not forming the government despite having sufficient numbers to do so.

“We are not in favour of President’s rule in Manipur. A democratic government is represented by the legislators. Imposing President’s rule shows they could not rule the state and are not capable of upholding law and order. Even now, they (BJP) have sufficient numbers to form a government. But we don’t know why this has not been allowed,” he added.

He also urged the Kuki community to reconsider its opposition to the annual pilgrimage of Meiteis to the Thangjing hills in Churachandpur district.

“Whether Kuki, Naga, Muslim or Meitei, we have been living together in Manipur since time immemorial. I would like to appeal to the Kuki community to reconsider its opposition to the annual pilgrimage to Thangjing hills. One day or the other, we will have to live together. We are all Manipuris. We are not in favour of illegal immigrants. But indigenous people have to live together,” he said.

His appeal came in the wake of at least six Kuki bodies opposing the Meitei community’s annual pilgrimage to Thangjing hills.