Leaders from the Indian National Congress and other opposition leaders banded together to back RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement on the ongoing violence in Manipur, attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deteriorating situation in the northeastern state.
Opposition leaders advised PM Modi to pay heed to Mohan Bhagwat’s comment about the situation in strife-torn Manipur, which has seen violence for over a year now, urging the government to consider it a priority.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Bhagwat could perhaps prevail upon the “former RSS office-bearer” and make a visit to the northeastern state himself.
In an X post, Jairam Ramesh said, “If not the ‘one-third’ Prime Minister’s conscience or the repeated demands of the people of Manipur, perhaps Mr. Bhagwat can prevail upon the former RSS office-bearer to go to Manipur.”
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that while Mohan Bhagwat delivered the right message on Manipur, he aired his concerns a bit too late. When asked about the RSS chief’s comments, Tejashwi Yadav said, “He has been too late in speaking out.” The RJD leader added, “The prime minister, on his part, has merely kept silent on every crisis, be it violence in that state, or protests by farmers and female wrestlers in Delhi.”
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “Mohan Bhagwat is saying so based on his experience. He must have said about the arrogance that is visible. Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks on Manipur after a year show that the differences between BJP and RSS, which were highlighted by JP Nadda, are evident now.”
Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal said it is “not in the DNA” of PM Modi to listen to the words of the opposition, but he should pay heed to the RSS chief’s advice. He also cautioned the NDA government on repeating what had happened over the last 10 years of their government.
“I have been saying this for months, with statements an environment of ‘us versus them’ is being created. We need to take the country forward. I welcome the statement of Mohan Bhagwat,” Sibal said.
He added, “I have been repeating this for many months. When I was in the Rajya Sabha, in 1998-2004, there was a Vajpayee government. I heard his speeches many times, he used to call the Opposition ‘Pratipaksh‘, he used to say you are not our virodhi. PM Modi made the Opposition ‘Virodhi‘.”
Addressing a gathering of RSS trainees in Nagpur, Mohan Bhagwat raised the issue of Manipur and said that such conflicts are not good for society. He said that the situation in the strife-torn northeastern state must be addressed with priority.
Manipur plunged into violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May last year. Since then some 200 people have been killed, while thousands have been displaced following large-scale arson that has gutted homes and government buildings. Fresh violence has been reported from Jiribam over the past few days.