BJP President criticises Congress stance on Manipur, defends government response

BJP National President JP Nadda has issued a strongly-worded letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, challenging the Congress party's portrayal of the Manipur situation and its criticism of the government's handling of the crisis.

Nadda's letter, dated November 21, 2024, comes in response to Kharge's recent communication with President Droupadi Murmu regarding the violence in Manipur. The BJP president highlighted significant improvements in the northeastern state, noting that "the percentage of people suffering from Multidimensional poverty has reduced from over 20% in 2013 to just over 5% in 2022."

The letter criticised the Congress party's historical handling of unrest in Manipur, specifically referencing the "black period of the 90s when thousands were killed and lakhs displaced due to rampant violence." Nadda also mentioned a 2011 incident where "Manipur witnessed a complete blockade for more than 120 days. Petrol prices and LPG process were nearly four-times higher than the rest of the country."

Defending the current administration's approach, Nadda wrote that "with the first incidence of violence that was reported, our government – both at the Centre as well as State – was immediately working to stabilise the situation and protect the people."

The BJP president accused the Congress of attempting to "sensationalise the situation in Manipur" and pointed to what he described as "the complete failure of India's security and administrative protocols under your government" as contributing factors to current challenges.

The exchange comes amid ongoing efforts to restore peace in Manipur, with Nadda emphasising that investigations into recent incidents are being conducted by the NIA, which he described as "one of the most efficient agencies in the country."