Radheshyam also acknowledged lapses in the initial handling of the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023
KRC TIMES Manipur Bureau
Imphal | Manipur BJP MLA Thokchom Radheshyam has appealed to former chief ministers N Biren Singh and O Ibobi Singh to work together with the incumbent government to restore peace in the violence-hit state, stressing that political differences and public criticism would only hamper efforts to resolve the crisis.
Speaking at an event in Bishnupur district on November 6, Radheshyam said people across Manipur wanted lasting peace and urged political leaders cutting across party lines to come together to achieve that objective.
“Peace cannot be achieved by criticising each other on social media or in the media,” he said, appealing to former Congress chief minister Ibobi Singh and BJP leader Biren Singh to extend their support to the government’s efforts to restore normalcy.
The Heirok constituency MLA, who also serves as a spokesperson for the state government, said former chief ministers should refrain from making provocative statements or engaging in criticism of the incumbent administration. Instead, they should offer constructive suggestions and cooperate with the government in addressing the continuing crisis.
However, Radheshyam also acknowledged lapses in the initial handling of the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023. He questioned why adequate police personnel were not deployed promptly when the violence first broke out. “On the day the ethnic violence broke out, why was a large number of police personnel not deployed to control it? We must admit that there was a mistake and the police were not sent in time,” he said.
His remarks amounted to an acknowledgement of shortcomings in the initial security response to the violence, which severely affected the state’s law and order situation. Radheshyam maintained that the present government was making sustained efforts to restore peace and appealed to the people to support its initiatives.
He also took a swipe at former chief ministers for portraying their own tenures as faultless while questioning the actions of the current administration, arguing that such political exchanges would do little to address the challenges facing Manipur.
His appeal comes amid continuing political debate over the handling of the ethnic conflict and the efforts required to rebuild trust and restore normalcy in the state.
