Minister blames CM for Manipur violence

A DAY after the arson attack on his residence in Imphal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister of State for External Affairs R K Ranjan Singh on Friday made no bones about admitting that the Biren Singh-led government has totally failed to maintain law and order in the state.

- PRASANTA MAZUMDAR

He told journalists in Kerala, where he was attending a programme of his party, that law and order in Manipur has completely broken down. The BJP-led government has failed to maintain peace despite the Centre sending a large number of troops, including that of the Rapid Action Force, he said. He had no idea why the state machinery has failed.

Meanwhile, the Congress has been stepping up its attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to protect the lives and properties of the people in Manipur.

“Modi government’s shameless drumbeating about Northeast India has drowned the voices of humanity in Manipur,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said two days ago.