After miscreants set fire to his home in Imphal’s Kongba neighbourhood on Thursday night, Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said on Friday that the “law and order situation in Manipur has failed”.
Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, who serves as the Minister of State for External Affairs, claimed that he had built his home with prayers and was baffled as to why it had been attacked.
“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,” Ranjan Singh told the media.
According to the minister, who is from Kerala, when the house caught fire, the fire brigades were unable to get inside because of obstructions made by bystanders.
“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 stated.
“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,” Singh told. Earlier, minister Ranjan Singh had told media that about 50 criminals had broken into his home.
“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.”
Home Minister Amit Shah dialled Ranjan Singh to query about his safety, he was out of State
The minister claimed that when Union Home Minister Amit Shah called him, he let him know that he was out of the state. In Manipur, which has experienced interethnic conflict, Ranjan Singh, being a member of the Meiti community, has been working to bring about peace.
“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,” Ranjan Singh said.
Miscreants attempted to set fire to Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen’s official residence in Imphal West on Wednesday. His house had some burn damage.
On May 3, violence erupted during a rally called by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand that Meiteis be added to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list. Clashes broke out.
