Kochi: Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Friday expressed anguish at miscreants torching his residence in Imphal’s Kongba area on Thursday night and said the “law and order situation in Manipur has failed”.
Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, who is Minister of State for External Affairs, said he had constructed his house with prayers and was unable to understand why it was targeted.
“Someone tries to vandalize it, demolish, I feel shocked. I never expect such kind of attitude and activities from my fellow citizens of this state. I pray to God also not to happen again. This is the second time, the first time, I anyhow convinced them and the security protected…. that was in early evening. This time yesterday it was late night, around 10:30. Everything was normal, suddenly crowds of people came and attacked, I was told,” Singh told ANI.
The minister, who is in Kerala, said when the house was on fire, the fire brigades could not enter the place as people created blockages.
“I do not know why they are attacking. There is no reason. In the whole process, I am trying to bring the peace, negotiating…my senior ministers and colleagues to bring normalcy in the state. In the meanwhile, this kind of unwanted incident happened. If my sons and daughters and family happens to be here…that burning and throwing of petrol, it seems to attempt on my life also,” he said.
“Law and order condition in Manipur is a total failure. The existing government could not maintain peace that’s why the central government has sent a lot of protections and Rapid Action Force. I don’t know how the state mechanism is failure, I feel like that,” he added.
#WATCH | Manipur: A mob torched Union Minister of State for External Affairs RK Ranjan Singh’s residence at Kongba in Imphal on Thursday late night. https://t.co/zItifvGwoG pic.twitter.com/LWAWiJnRwc
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2023
The minister had told ANI earlier that about 50 miscreants had attacked his house.
“It is extremely sad to see what happened last night. I was told that more than 50 miscreants attacked my home. Damage has been done to the ground floor and the first floor of my residence. Neither me or anybody from my family was present during that time. Thankfully, nobody got injured.”
The minister said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called him and he informed that he was out of the state.
Singh hails from the Meiti community and has been making efforts for restoration of peace in Manipur which has witnessed ethnic violence.
“An eye for an eye will make the whole world go blind. Violence doesn’t help any cause. Those who are indulging in this violence are doing a huge disservice to the nation. It also reflects that they are enemies of humanity,” Singh told ANI.
Nine people were killed while more than 10 were injured in fresh violence in Manipur on Wednesday.
The state government has further extended shutdown on internet in the state up to June 20.
On Wednesday, miscreants tried to burn down the official residence of Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen in Imphal West. His home was partly burnt.
Violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.