Almost 45 days after violence erupted in Manipur which led to over 100 deaths and mass destruction of properties, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on June 18 appealed for peace in the northeastern State.
RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, in a statement, said the Sangh stood with the displaced persons and other victims of the Manipur crisis, numbering more than 50,000, during this period of terrible grief. He appealed to everyone to overcome the trust deficit, the cause of the present crisis.
The RSS said it was very unfortunate that the violence, which erupted among those who had been living a peaceful life with mutual harmony and co-operation for centuries, had not yet stopped.
“It requires comprehensive efforts from both communities. It can be resolved by addressing the sense of insecurity and helplessness among the Meiteis and genuine concerns of the Kuki community simultaneously,” Mr. Hosabale added.
The Sangh further appealed to the government, including the local administration, police, military and the Central agencies to take every possible step to immediately stop this painful violence, ensure seamless supply of relief materials among the displaced along with necessary action to maintain peace and harmony.
It urged the entire civil society, political groups of Manipur and common people to take every possible initiative to put an end to the present chaotic and violent situation and also ensure safety of human life and permanent peace.
ABVKS bats for peace
A couple of days before the RSS’s statement, the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKS), a tribal welfare wing of the Sangh, too had appealed for peace in Manipur. The ABVKS maintained that the uninterrupted violence was going on here for weeks in which it was not just the life and property had been lost but also a loss of the mutual trust between two communities which had been living side by side for thousands of years.
“This is the reason why the efforts of the Central government to establish peace are also failing,” the ABVKS added.
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It said that when the government became helpless, domestic and foreign selfish elements would start adding fuel to the fire. Respected people in the country, including spiritual personalities, sportsmen, famed people from arts, cinema, eminent socio-political leaders, ex-servicemen and administrative officers should come forward in the interest of the country and appeal for peace.
“The Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram has faith that this effort of these great personalities will have amazingly positive impact. We, as the country, should not waste any more time; it is already too late, further delay can worsen the situation. So we all should take positive initiative in this direction as soon as possible,” said Ramchandra Kharadi , Chairman, ABVKS.
