New Delhi, Jul 16 (IANS): The Congress on Saturday termed the silence of Prime MInister Narendra Modi on the over two-month long violence in Manipur as "unforgivable", and vowed that the party's northeastern state committees will continue to raise their voice for Manipur demanding a quick resolution to end the violence there.  

In a statement, Congress leaders from Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Sikkim, after a meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, expressed grave concern over the situation in Manipur and underlined their support and empathy for the people of trouble-torn state.

They said that the entire Congress party stands in solidarity with them.

"The inaction and silence of the Prime Minister and the BJP government on the situation in Manipur is unexplainable, unforgivable and criminal. The Government of India has abdicated its responsibility for the people of Manipur in particular, and the whole of northeast in general," the statement said.

It added that the Congress, especially all the northeast state Congress committees, will continue to raise the voice of the people of Manipur and demand quick resolution for ending the violence there.

"The Union government should take strong and all necessary steps with sincerity for maintaining peace and harmony in the state. We demand immediate ceasefire and restoration of peace. We are also deeply concerned about the delimitation exercise being undertaken at such a time in Assam," it said.

The statement also said that several political parties led by the Congress have demanded a wider discussion on the delimitation in Assam.

"We also condole the deaths of 150 innocent people who were killed in manufactured violence," the statement read.