The All India Democratic Women’s Association on Wednesday said Manipur could only have a political solution, the first step of which was removing the Chief Minister.
A delegation of senior members of the AIDWA, who visited the strife-torn State from August 9-11 said, that people in the State were in deep distress and needed to be provided with free foodgrains, health care and cash transfers.
The three-member delegation included CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and AIDWA Patron Brinda Karat, AIDWA President P K Sreemathi and General Secretary Mariam Dhawale.
“The Prime Minister said peace has returned to the State. We don’t know where he got that information. There can be peace only when people driven out from their houses can return to their places. Manipur has become a war zone. The Prime Minister not recognising it is not justice to people,” Ms. Karat said.
Chief Minister Biren Singh has not met the victims even once and given any help. “The biggest barrier to justice is the Chief Minister himself”, she said at a press conference here.
“When no Christian, no tribal, no Meitis can go to their respective places, how can we say there is normalcy? The Prime Minister is misleading people. Why can’t they tell the truth that the double engine government has failed?” she questioned adding Manipur has become like Wagah border. “There are borders which you cannot cross. People in the valley cannot enter Hills and vice versa”.
The AIDWA asked the government to ensure that adequate compensation is given to those affected after making a proper assessment of losses incurred, Public Distribution System (PDS) should start functioning and people should be given 10 kg of free grain each, steps should be taken for resuming education for all students and culprits should be made responsible for sexual violence and murder.
The women’s organisation said it has sought a time to meet President Draupadi Murmu and would apprise her of the situation in the state and submit a copy of the report to her.
