The Congress party has accused the BJP-led central government of mismanaging Manipur over the past five years, claiming that this neglect has led to a serious economic and security crisis, particularly along the international border. Christopher Tilak, the All India Congress Committee in charge of Manipur, expressed his concerns upon arriving in Imphal, stating that the current situation is a result of prolonged administrative failure. He remarked, “What has happened in Manipur is very unfortunate. For the last five years, they have irresponsibly handled the state. The economy is in a big disaster, and now security, including that of the border, is a problem.”
Manipur has faced ethnic violence since May 2023, with clashes between the valley-based Meitei community and the Kuki groups from the hills resulting in at least 260 deaths and displacing thousands of residents. This unrest has severely disrupted daily life and economic activities across the state. The northeastern state shares a border with Myanmar and has been under President’s Rule since February 2025, following the resignation of N Biren Singh, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party who first took office in 2017 and returned to power after the 2022 Assembly elections.
Tilak challenged the Centre’s commitment to restoring normalcy, pointing out that during his previous visit, underground groups had called a bandh despite President’s Rule. He suggested that this indicated a lack of seriousness from the Centre regarding the issues plaguing Manipur.
Currently, Tilak is in Manipur to lead the Congress’s ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ campaign. He announced plans to spend a week traveling through both hill and valley districts to garner support. “I have come to take the protest across all Assembly constituencies in Manipur. During my week-long stay, I will be travelling in both hill and valley areas,” he stated.
The Indian National Congress launched this nationwide campaign on January 3, which is set to run from January 10 to February 25. The party is demanding the withdrawal of what it regards as structural changes to the rural employment scheme MGNREGA, the restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law, and increased authority for local panchayats. Tilak emphasized the party’s opposition to changes in MGNREGA’s nomenclature and other structural alterations, asserting that the scheme, initiated in 2005 by the UPA government, was designed to empower the rural poor, especially women, across India.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/manipur/story/congress-accuses-centre-of-mishandling-manipur-links-five-years-of-governance-to-security-and-economic-crisis-1333097-2026-01-18?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-01-18 18:25:00
