NEW DELHI, Nov 12:   A presentation by the Union Home Ministry to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday, highlighted significant security achievements across India’s northeastern states but drew sharp criticism from Opposition members for failing to address the ongoing violence in Manipur, where over 240 people have died since ethnic clashes erupted on May 3, 2023.

The Home Ministry’s report, presented by Home Secretary Govind Mohan and accompanied by 46 other officials, emphasized a reduction in insurgency incidents by 71% and a decrease in civilian deaths by 82% from 2014 to 2023. The data, which compared civilian casualties in 2014 (212 deaths) to those in 2023 (38 deaths), also noted a 60% reduction in security forces’ casualties during the same period. Despite these achievements, Opposition MPs expressed concerns that the Ministry’s report made no mention of Manipur, where around 160 lives were lost between May and December 2023 alone.

The Opposition questioned the omission of Manipur from the northeast section of the report, where it devoted three pages to discussing security and development. According to an opposition MP, “It is a brazen omission. How can the Home Ministry talk about the northeast without speaking about Manipur, which continues to burn?”

In a heated exchange during the briefing, TMC MPs read details of two recent violent deaths in Manipur to highlight the ongoing unrest in the state. One incident involved the killing of a 31-year-old schoolteacher and mother of three from the Hmar community, allegedly targeted by a group of Meitei armed men in Zairawn village. Hours later, a 27-year-old Meitei farmer, Sapam Sophia, was killed by suspected Kuki insurgents while harvesting paddy in Bishnupur district. Opposition MPs used these cases to question the Ministry’s silence on Manipur in discussions on women’s safety initiatives. “How can you pat your back on women’s safety, without taking into account what is happening to women in Manipur?” a TMC MP asked.

The 69-page report briefly mentioned “Centre-State” relations, which opposition MPs felt was insufficiently covered. TDP MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti and others called for a more comprehensive review of the topic, which falls under the Home Ministry’s domain. One MP also criticized the report’s structure, focused only on “achievements” and “vision,” without addressing areas needing improvement.

While the Ministry defended its accomplishments, including the surrender of 4,500 militants and agreements with NSCN, Bru, and TIPRA groups, Opposition MPs asserted that the report presented only a “rosy picture,” and not the actual one. They urged Home Ministry officials to revisit the issue and provide a balanced analysis that acknowledges the crisis alongside the Ministry’s progress in northeast India.