"Can't be silenced": Manipur Congress over ED summons to party chief

Manipur Congress slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of using government agencies to "silence" voices speaking out about the ongoing violence in Manipur. The attack follows a summons issued to Manipur Congress President, Keisham Meghachandra, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after he repeatedly addressed the crisis in the state.

Manipur Congress spokesperson, Ningombam Bupenda Meitei, took a sharp dig at the BJP, accusing the ruling party of suppressing the truth. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Meitei stated, “Our @INCManipur President Shri @meghachandra_k can’t be silenced for speaking the truth and for standing with the people of Manipur by the Modi government and its agencies. We will fight this legally in court."

This follows Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh’s earlier remarks, where he emphasized that Meghachandra had been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their alleged mishandling of the situation in Manipur. Ramesh asserted that the ED summons, which was issued under the pretext of financial investigations, was politically motivated, branding it an act of "vendetta, vengeance, harassment, and revenge."

Our @INCManipur Manipur PCC President Shri @meghachandra_k can't be silenced for speaking truth and for the people of Manipur by Modi government and its agencies.

We will fight it legally in court. @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi @kharge @kcvenugopalmp @Jairam_Ramesh https://t.co/kGGYzifW1k

— Ningombam Bupenda Meitei (@BupendaMeitei) October 7, 2024

The situation escalated further when Meghachandra, who was summoned to appear before the ED's Assistant Director’s office in New Delhi on October 7, expressed his confusion and refusal to comply with the summons. The Congress leader had been critical of both the state and central governments, previously alleging their failure to provide a clear roadmap for restoring peace in Manipur. On August 19, he pointed out the inaction of the BJP-led government, both at the state and national levels, to tackle the ongoing unrest.

As tensions rise, Congress has vowed to pursue legal avenues to counter what they describe as politically motivated harassment, insisting that they will not be deterred from addressing the truth behind the violence plaguing Manipur.

Also read: Manipur Congress chief 'fails' to appear before ED in money laundering case