BJP holding 'Vikas Yatra' while Manipur burns says AAP demands containment of violence

     New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday slammed the BJP over its 'Vikas Yatra' in Delhi for holding it at a time when Manipur was racked with sectarian violence, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain the situation there swiftly.
     Addressing a press conference, AAP Chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar accused the BJP government of failing to control the situation in Manipur which has been in grip of tribal tension for more than a month.
     Kakkar spoke about the burning of houses of Union Minister of State Rajkumar Ranjan and another female minister by rioters to indicate the escalation of tension in the state.
     She said these incidents have "sparked widespread distress among the people of Manipur and raised serious questions about the ruling BJP's ability to maintain law and order in the region."
     "In light of these distressing events, AAP demands immediate resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. It urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take swift action, provide clarity on the situation in Manipur, and take decisive steps to bring an end to the violence," she said.
     Kakkar said the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar started his 'Vikas Tirth Yatra' on Saturday to woo the voters ahead of the 2024 general elections.
     She also contrasted the BJP celebrating its nine years at the Centre with the arson and mayhem in Manipur.
     "Several people's houses in Manipur have been burned down and it is believed that more than 50,000 people have had to leave their homes and find shelter elsewhere," she said.
     She criticised the BJP's 'vikas model' saying everyone gets a taste of it when they go out to buy fuel or groceries or milk at an inflated price.
     "Everyone has seen this vikas model in the nation, under which farmers, instead of getting right compensation for their crops, are caned by the central government's police," she said.
     She also said that even the prices of medicines required by cancer patients have surged rapidly in the last couple of years.
     "I would like to remind my friends in the BJP that the problems being faced by the citizens of the country will not vanish by just screaming 'Modi, Modi,'" Kakkar said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)