A grave situation has developed in Manipur with the intensification of violence due to killings and counter-killings on ethnic lines.  20 people have been killed in various incidents since November 7.  The discovery of six bodies of women and children, including 8 8-month-old baby, who were abducted earlier in a horrific incident, has inflamed the situation in the Valley. This was stated in a media release by the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Further echoing the left point of view, it said that ‘right from the beginning, it was Chief Minister Biren Singh who was responsible for the deteriorating situation, yet the Central government and the BJP, as the ruling party, refused to remove him and allowed him to continue.  A situation has now arisen where the writ of the state government and the administration does not run’.

It is time for the Central government to strongly intervene to immediately put an end to the violence. It has also to begin the serious work for a political settlement which restores peace and safeguards the rights of all ethnic communities in the state, the CPI(M) release stated.