Shiv Sena’s Manipur unit president M Tombi on Thursday urged the state’s 50 MLAs to approach Delhi to seek solutions for the ongoing crisis in Manipur instead of politicizing the issue.
He made this statement during a press briefing at the party’s state office in Babupara, Imphal. Tombi expressed concerns over the continued attacks on innocent farmers in the region. He highlighted a recent incident where a woman farmer in Bishnupur district was allegedly killed by Kuki militants while she was working in the paddy fields.
“Why is the government unable to bring those responsible for such heinous crimes to justice? Are the militants under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement allowed to kill innocent people at will?” Tombi questioned.
He called for increased security measures to protect farmers during the harvesting season.
He added that if the security forces, including state forces, cannot protect civilians, there is no point in their deployment.
The Shiv Sena Manipur Pradesh also strongly condemned the abduction of six internally displaced persons, including two children and an infant, by armed Kuki militants.
Tombi emphasised that such actions are unacceptable, even in times of war between countries, and called for the immediate release of the captives.
Despite the presence of over 60,000 central forces and the deployment of an additional 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Tombi questioned the effectiveness of these forces in curbing the ongoing violence in the state.
He urged the state government to take decisive action, stating, “The state government must know where the six captives are being held. The government should take strict steps to bring them back safely.”