Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the situation in Manipur and demanded that he sack BJP's "incompetent" chief minister as a first step to control the turmoil.
He also alleged that the violence against women and children has been weaponised and accused the BJP of turning Manipur into a battlefield.
A clash occurred in the Singjamei area of Imphal on Tuesday night between RAF personnel and locals protesting the killing of two students, who had been missing since July 6, prompting the law enforcers to lob tear gas shells and fire rubber bullets at the agitators and baton-charge them, leaving 45 of the protesters, mostly students, injured.
"For 147 days, people of Manipur are suffering, but PM Modi does not have time to visit the state. The horrific images of students being targeted in this violence has once again shocked the entire nation," he said on X.
"It is now apparent that violence against women and children was weaponised in this strife. The beautiful state of Manipur has been turned into a battlefield, all because of the BJP," he said.
"High time, PM Modi sacks BJP's incompetent Manipur Chief Minister. This would be the first step to control any further turmoil," the Congress leader said.
The Congress has been targeting the government on the issue of Manipur violence and has been questioning why the prime minister has not visited the violence-hit state.
The situation remained calm but tense in Imphal on Wednesday morning after the clash between students and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel the previous night.
Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and RAF personnel were seen deployed in strength throughout Imphal Valley in anticipation of possible protests and violence.
Although the state government has declared a holiday for schools on Wednesday, students of some Imphal-based institutions vowed to congregate at their schools, sparking speculations of more protests later in the day.
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