The Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) today has
vehemently condemned a recent comment made by former Union Home Minister P.
Chidambaram on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The tweet, which
summarized his thoughts on the ongoing situation in Manipur, has sparked
controversy for proposing a possible restructuring of governance in the state.
In his statement, Chidambaram voiced doubts about the
current administrative setup's power to provide peace, supporting genuine
regional autonomy for the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities. While DMCC
agreed with his statement that deploying 5,000 security personnel alone would
not resolve the conflict, they criticized his third point, which indicated that
peaceful coexistence under the present system is unachievable.
The DMCC, represented by its convener, stated, “Such
comments are highly unsympathetic, especially in these turbulent times. The
Meitei community, particularly its youth, has made important sacrifices to
uphold the territorial integrity and harmony of Manipur. Comments like these
risk instigating further violence and division.”
The DMCC stressed that rather than advocating for separate
systems, the government should concentrate on balanced growth across Manipur.
They highlighted boosting and empowering existing autonomous committees and
called for increased financial aid to assure equitable progress for all
communities.
In their press release, the DMCC stated that both the state
and central governments had allocated nearly ₹300 crore over the past year to
help the autonomous councils. They said that while they welcome extra funds for
development—whether ₹2,000 crore or ₹3,000 crore—they will staunchly oppose
policies that encourage ethnic or religious division.
The DMCC also appealed to Congress MLAs from Manipur to
raise awareness within their party about the complexities of the Manipur issue.
They urged the Congress Party, as a significant political force in India, to
take more proactive measures in addressing the crisis.
“While we acknowledge the steps taken by the Congress in
Parliament, we believe more decisive and coordinated actions are needed,” the
DMCC concluded.
The statement underscores the fragility of the current
situation in Manipur, where discussions about governance structures remain
highly sensitive and contentious. (PR)