IMPHAL, Jan 7: Inner Manipur Member of Parliament Angomcha Bimol Akoijam on Tuesday strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, blaming them for what he described as an “internal divide” in Manipur, facilitated by the prevailing security arrangement under President’s Rule.
The MP made the remarks during his visit to Saiton village in Bishnupur district, which was recently rocked by IED explosions that injured two civilians. The blasts reportedly took place near an abandoned Meitei residence close to the inter-district boundary, raising serious concerns over civilian safety in conflict-affected areas.
According to Akoijam, he was stopped by Central security forces at a checkpoint inside the village and prevented from proceeding further due to what he termed an “illegal buffer zone.” He expressed grave concern over the restriction, questioning how an elected Member of Parliament could be denied access to an Indian village, calling it a serious democratic and constitutional anomaly.
Standing at the checkpoint, the MP said the buffer zone had effectively created a new internal boundary within the state. “This is where the border of India begins—India with Kuki. I cannot go to this side because this has become an India–Kuki border,” he remarked, warning that such arrangements were fragmenting the Indian state from within.
Akoijam further pointed out that similar restrictions on parliamentarians have not been witnessed in other riot-affected regions of the country. He described the situation in Manipur as exceptional, alarming and deeply troubling, cautioning that continued enforcement of buffer zones would erode public trust, undermine federal principles and institutionalise division rather than help restore peace.
