‘Cry from the hearts of citizens of Manipur,’ Chidambaram recommending THIS Congress MP’s poignant Lok Sabha speech

Congress leader P Chidambaram on July 31 urged people to listen to or read the speech of the party's Manipur Member of Parliament (MP) Alfred Arthur, calling it a ‘scathing indictment’ of the Union government, especially the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Finance Minister.

"I urge people to listen to or read the speech of the elected MP from Manipur, Mr Alfred Arthur. His scathing indictment of the central government, especially the PM, HM and FM, is a cry from the hearts of thousands of citizens of Manipur," Chidambaram said in a post on X.

The Rajya Sabha member said the North East would punish the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre if it continued to ‘pretend’ that the conflict in Manipur ‘did not exist.’

What Alfred Arthur said?

In an emotionally charged speech in the Lok Sabha on July 30, Congress party's Outer Manipur MP Alfred Arthur urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the violence-hit state.

"Can you not hear the cries of the women and children who cannot return to their homes?" he asked during a debate in the Lower House on the Budget 2024.

Ethnic clashes that broke out in May 2023, have led to deep divisions, displacing thousands and impacting daily life in Manipur. Over 50,000 people remain in relief camps.

Arthur asked why Union ministers had not visited Manipur since May 3, 2023, when they used to visit the northeastern state almost every week before that. He also asked the PM why Chief Minister N Biren Singh has not been replaced yet. He added that the prime minister and Home Minister Amit Shah should correct the course and visit Manipur.

"We are all Indian citizens. Why do you not want to come to Manipur? We have heard your 'Mann ki Baat' for 10 years. Can you not hear the cries of the women and children who cannot return to their homes?" he asked.

The Congress MP narrated how the people of the Imphal valley cannot move to other parts of Manipur. He thanked the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for visiting Manipur thrice since ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state.

'Anti People Budget'

Citing the ethnic conflict and the worst floods in the state in the last 35 years, he slammed the finance minister for presenting an "anti-people" budget.

"And the Finance Minister grins from ear to ear and places an anti-people budget. Madam, you do not need rocket science to understand the dynamics of what is people-friendly and what goes against the interest of a nation," he said.

Arthur said the prime minister and everyone else in the ruling BJP keeps saying "Modiji hai toh sab mumkin hai" and "jahan Modiji hai, nyay dilayenge", and asked where is the justice for Manipur.

The Congress won both the Lok Sabha seats — Inner and Outer Manipur — in violence-hit Manipur, in general elections 2024. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam won in the Inner Manipur constituency, while Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur triumphed in the Outer Manipur constituency.