Congress slams PR extension in Manipur

Opposition Congress in Manipur on Friday slammed the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre over the extension of President’s Rule in strife-torn Manipur while alleging that the PR extension undermined the values of democracy and the spirit of federalism.
The Centre extended the President’s Rule in Manipur for another six months, following a resolution introduced by Union home minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha.
The PR was imposed in the troubled Manipur on February 13 last, after N Biren Singh was forced to resign on February 9.
The PR extension will come into effect from August 13, 2025.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra strongly criticized the Central government for extending PR in the state for another six months.
Talking to the media on the sidelines of an event in Imphal on Friday, he claimed that the latest move of the BJP-led NDA government was a serious blow to democratic values and the federal spirit enshrined in the Constitution of India.
The MPCC president said that the Centre’s latest move was against the wishes of the people of the state.
“The extension of the PR in Manipur for another six months is not peoples’ wish. Extension of PR undermines the values of democracy and the spirit of federalism. The will of the people has been bypassed,” Meghachandra said.
The MPCC chief blamed BJP state MLAs for the political vacuum that led to the extension while asserting that the PR was imposed and extended in the state because the BJP MLAs.
He alleged that despite having the number to form the government, the party legislators could not elect a capable leader to steer the government.
“The extension has come because there is no strong leader in the state as well as the failure of the double engine government. The BJP doesn’t have a strong leader in the state,” he said.
Meghachandra asserted that proclamation of PR in a state was a temporary measure, for restoration of peace and normalcy in the case of Manipur.
“President’s Rule is meant to be a temporary measure to restore peace and order. But if it continues to be extended due to alleged law and order failures, it sets a dangerous and unprecedented trend,” he observed.
“This extension undermines democratic institutions and erodes constitutional governance,” he added.
The MPCC chief criticized both the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre as well as the former BJP-led government in the state for their lack of initiative in resolving the ongoing crisis.
He alleged that both the Central and the state government had not made serious efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
They did not formulate a concrete roadmap for peace and reconciliation, he said.
Even after more than two years of unprecedented crisis, the ruling BJP had not convened an all-party meeting to deliberate on the crisis that has gripped the state.
“The BJP leaders, both at the Centre and the state, deliberately avoided a consultative process with leaders of other political parties,” he said.
He also came down heavily Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his deliberate silence on the ongoing crisis in Manipur
“The Prime Minister still chooses to sideline the crisis besieging Manipur for more than two years. Modi doesn’t have much interest in resolving the present conflict of Manipur despite being the leader of the nation. Such things never happen in any democratic country,” he said.
His continued silence without heeding the calls from various sections to douse the conflict was deeply disappointing. “It reflects the BJP’s intent to allow the President’s Rule to linger,” Meghachandra said.
He asserted that the current political and administrative uncertainty in the state could have been avoided if the BJP, particularly the Prime Minister, had shown responsible leadership and democratic will.