Congress’ swipe at ‘Mann Ki Baat’: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ‘silence’ over the Manipur violence while referring to his 102nd episode of the monthly radio programme which was aired today and said ‘one more Mann ki Baat but Maun (silent) on Manipur’.

Prime Minister Modi’s monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ was broadcast today at 11 pm, shifting from the usual schedule of its broadcast on the last Sunday of every month due to his visit to the United States of America.

Jairam Ramesh, while taking a dig at PM Modi, said that the Prime Minister praised himself for India’s capabilities in disaster management, and alleged that the Manipur violence was an ‘entirely self-inflicted’ humanitarian disaster.

Over 100 people have died in the ethnic violence that broke out a month ago between the people belonging to the Meitei and Kuki communities.

“So one more Mann ki Baat but Maun on Manipur. The PM patted himself on the back for India’s great capabilities in disaster management. What about the entirely man-made (actually self-inflicted) humanitarian disaster that is confronting Manipur. Still no appeal for peace from him. There is a non-auditable PM-CARES Fund but does the PM even care for Manipur is the real question,” Jairam tweeted.

What PM Modi said in Mann Ki Baat

PM Modi talked about Cyclone Biparjoy which made landfall on Gujarat coast on Thursday (June 15) and said that the damages inflicted could be reduced due to teamwork.

“The strength of disaster management that India has developed over the years is becoming an example today. Cyclone Biparjoy wreaked so much havoc in Kutch, but the people of Kutch faced it with full courage and preparedness,” he said.

Clashes in Manipur

Notably, Congress-led 10 opposition parties of the violence-hit northeastern state of Manipur, had on Saturday questioned the Prime Minister’s ‘silence’ over the violent incidents which have continued in phases. They had also urged PM Modi to have a meeting with them and appeal to the people for peace.

The clashes had first broken out on May 3 following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ which was carried out in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis constitute nearly 53 per cent of the total population of Manipur and reside mostly in the Imphal Valley, while Tribals including Nagas and Kukis account for the remaining percentage of the population and live in the hill districts.

(With PTI inputs)

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