Imphal/New Delhi : The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Monday blamed the Centre’s alleged failure to restore order for the latest IED blast in the state, accusing the BJP-led government of deliberately prolonging the crisis under President’s Rule.

MPCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh launched a sharp attack on the Union government a day after a high-level meeting in New Delhi between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur’s Director General of Police, Chief Secretary and Governor. Meghachandra said the meeting had failed to offer any credible roadmap for peace and normalcy in the violence-hit state.

Addressing the media, the Congress leader described the outcome of the Delhi meeting as “disappointing and unfavourable for peace”, and linked it directly to a fresh incident of violence reported just hours later. According to him, an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded around 6 am on January 5 at Nganukon, injuring two local residents.

“The blast is a grim reminder that the situation on the ground remains volatile. It clearly reflects the failure of the Centre’s approach, even after such high-level deliberations,” Meghachandra said, adding that repeated meetings in Delhi had done little to improve security or restore public confidence in Manipur.

Accusing the central government of lacking the political will to resolve the crisis, he alleged that New Delhi was “not genuinely interested in bringing peace and normalcy” to the state. The present situation, he claimed, was “entirely of the Centre’s own making”.

Meghachandra further alleged that the Union government was deliberately prolonging President’s Rule in Manipur, even if it meant undermining constitutional norms and democratic institutions. “What we are witnessing is nothing but the murder of democracy in Manipur and a complete underestimation of the will of the people,” he said.

Stating that the people of Manipur do not want “direct control from Delhi”, the Congress leader warned that prolonged central intervention without tangible improvement in law and order was deepening public distrust and political uncertainty across the state.

He also suggested that if both the Centre and the state administration were incapable of bringing the situation under control, dissolving the Manipur Legislative Assembly and holding fresh elections would be the most democratic course of action. “Let the people decide their future,” he said.

Targeting the BJP, Meghachandra squarely blamed the ruling party for the continuing violence, describing it as the “architect of the present crisis”. He accused the BJP of pursuing a “divide-and-rule” policy that had exacerbated ethnic tensions and destabilised the state.

Calling for an impartial and firm approach, the MPCC president said that if the Centre was serious about restoring peace, it must take unbiased and decisive measures on the ground instead of relying on prolonged central rule. “Without fairness and accountability, no amount of central control will bring peace to Manipur,” he added.

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