Congress on Manipur: Instability in Border State a Threat to National Security

As the violence in Manipur continues even after almost three months, the Congress feels that the “neighbours watch the instability in any of the states very carefully” and any “instability” in the border states has a “direct bearing” on national security.

Talking to IANS, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Manish Tewari said: “When there is instability in any border state, all your neighbours watch that carefully." He pointed out that Myanmar borders Manipur and it is an open border.

“There are elements in Myanmar, who have very close linkages with China, and we already have a very disturbed border with China. So any kind of social, political, economical instability allows those forces that are inimical to you to exploit those contradictions to your advantage. So that is how it impacts the national security," he said.

Tewari also cited some examples, noting that when Punjab was disturbed, Pakistan left no stone unturned to exploit those situations.

The Congress leader said that even Chinese have been interfering in the northeast, which goes back to almost seven decades.

"There are many underground groups and insurgent groups, which have been directly trained and funded by the Chinese. Naxalbari was the prime example in West Bengal in the 1960s. They used to shout slogans that China's chairman is our chairman. There are several examples," he said.

The Congress leader also felt that said a lot of the same ethnic stock from the region have evolved in different northeastern states, who live across the border and other countries also.

"So any kind of instability in your border state has a direct bearing on national security," Tewari added.

Manipur has witnessed ethnic clashes since May 3. In the violent clashes, at least 150 people have died while several people have been missing. Thousands have been forced to take refuge in the relief camps in the northeastern states.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain said: "When the arms have reached almost in every houses in Manipur and the border of the state is also porous."

He asserted that if the situation gets worse in there, as many people from different communities of Manipur are also residing in several other northeastern state and if clashes start, then it will have “ramification” in all the northeastern states.

"It is even important for the government to control the situation as soon as possible," Husssain, who is also the Congress whip in the Rajya Sabha, said.

The Congress leader also stressed that any illegal arms trafficking in the northeastern states will have an impact on national security.

He said: "Any arms being smuggled or crossing border will have national security impact on all the northeastern state. And it will have national impact too."

A 21-member delegation of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Saturday arrived in Manipur and also met with the people taking refuge in the relief camps in the state.

The Congress-led opposition have been demanding a debate on Manipur in both Houses of Parliament and also a detailed statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in the northeastern state.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi had visited Manipur last month and also met ffected families there in the relief camps. Following his visit to the northeastern state, he had appealed for peace in the state. He had also met Governor Anusuiya Uikey.

The INDIA bloc of the opposition parties had also moved a no confidence motion in the Lok Sabha over the Manipur situation.