Power Corridors brings you the voices of the MPs who spoke during the Lok Sabha session on March 11 on imposition of president rule in Manipur when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the state’s budget. While the text will not be a verbatim transcript, it closely captures the essence of their speeches. Often, only a fraction of what is said in Parliament reaches the public, and this series aims to bridge that gap, helping the people of Manipur understand how their concerns were addressed. In this second installment, we spotlight the powerful speech of Jadavpur TMC member of parliament Sayani Ghosh.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, March 16
In a highly charged speech, Sushri Sayani Ghosh, MP from Jadavpur, delivered a scathing critique of the government’s handling of the Manipur crisis.She started by saying that after 22 months of persistent protests, walkouts, and demands, the government was finally compelled to discuss the ongoing violence and turmoil in the state. However, she added that the discussion comes under grim circumstances, with the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur.
“Democracy is dead in Manipur”
Addressing the Lok sabha, Sayani Ghosh stated, “After 22 months of demanding, protesting, criticizing, and shouting, this government is finally compelled to discuss Manipur. But under what circumstance? It is when democracy is officially dead in this state of the largest democratic country.”
She highlighted the dire situation in Manipur, where over 600 days of continuous violence have claimed more than 240 lives and left 1,500 people injured. The widespread looting of more than 5,600 arms and 6.5 lakh rounds of ammunition from police armories has exacerbated the crisis. “कई मासूम लोगों की हत्याएं और लगातार हो रही हिंसा के बावजूद सरकार ने अपनी चुप्पी नहीं तोड़ी,” she added.
Protests and Government Apathy
Ghosh pointed out that the people of Manipur, irrespective of their communities, have taken to the streets to protest and demand peace. She mentioned that the apex student body of the North East, the Indigenous Tribal Leader’s Forum, and the Kuki Front have all held mass rallies. These organizations accused the Central Government of favoritism, alleging that Central agencies were selectively targeting minority communities while appeasing the majority.
Manipur burns, but the Prime Minister stays silent!
600+ Days of violence, 240+ lives lost, thousands displaced—how much more suffering, PM @narendramodi?
Our MP @Sayani06 stands with Manipur, demanding justice! pic.twitter.com/kLCJ1AGg5G
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 15, 2025
She further criticized the Home Minister for his inaction, stating, “मणिपुर की महिलाओं ने गृह मंत्री से गुहार लगाई कि वे वहाँ जाएं और शांति स्थापित करें। लेकिन कोई ठोस कदम नहीं उठाया गया।”
Judicial and International Response
The inaction of the government forced the Supreme Court to intervene after a horrifying incident of public humiliation of two tribal women came to light. Ghosh noted that even the United Nations had raised concerns about human rights violations in Manipur, citing reports of extrajudicial killings and sexual violence. “जब संयुक्त राष्ट्र भी भारत में मानवाधिकार हनन पर चिंता जता रहा है, तो हमारी सरकार की चुप्पी और भी चिंताजनक हो जाती है,” she remarked.
Economic Devastation and Social Breakdown
Beyond the violence, Ghosh detailed the economic fallout in Manipur. She stated that inflation in the state has consistently been the highest in the country, with a monthly rate of 10-12%. “Manipur has experienced higher inflation rates every month since violence broke out in the state,” she said.
She also pointed out the alarming rates of unemployment, particularly among youth, which has reached 23%. Additionally, the healthcare and education sectors have suffered massive budget cuts, with healthcare funding slashed by 23% and education by 17%. “Social security spending for tribal communities has been cut by 47%, and nutrition programs have seen a 25% reduction,” she revealed.
Humanitarian Crisis in Relief Camps
The impact of the crisis on displaced populations is severe. Ghosh provided statistics indicating that 6,164 children aged six months to six years, 2,638 adolescent girls, 232 pregnant women, and 753 lactating mothers are living in 325 relief camps across the state. “By April 2024, 554 babies had been born in relief camps since the violence erupted, with at least two maternal deaths officially recorded,” she said.
Reports indicate that over 80 people have died in relief camps due to malnutrition, disease, and trauma. “A 36-year-old young man took his own life in a relief camp, showcasing the unbearable conditions people are enduring,” she added.
The Delay in President’s Rule
Ghosh questioned why the government waited so long to impose President’s Rule if that was their proposed solution. “If President’s Rule was the answer, why was it not imposed months ago when people were continuously dying?” she asked.
She accused the government of selective governance, stating, “आज पश्चिम बंगाल में एक मच्छर भी मरता है, तो बीजेपी वाले वहाँ राष्ट्रपति शासन लगाने की बात करते हैं। लेकिन मणिपुर में सैकड़ों लोगों की हत्या होने के बावजूद मुख्यमंत्री ने इस्तीफा तक नहीं दिया।”
Response from the Government
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, defended the government’s actions, stating that the situation in Manipur had been addressed multiple times in Parliament. “गृह मंत्री जी और प्रधानमंत्री जी ने अपने भाषणों में वहाँ की स्थिति को स्पष्टता से रखा है,” he said.
However, Ghosh refuted this claim, insisting that the government had failed to take concrete steps to control the crisis and had only responded with empty rhetoric.
“After allowing Manipur to burn for months, today, you are here offering a bouquet of rosy promises. Please remember: ‘ज़िंदगी धूप, तुम घना साया’—but for whom?” she said.
Ghosh claimed that BJP’s political reputation has come under scrutiny after months of inaction regarding the Manipur crisis.
“प्रधानमंत्री जी ने जनवरी, 2022 के बाद मणिपुर में अपने कदम नहीं रखे हैं, लेकिन इस बीच चालीस बार इंटरनेशनल और 244 बार डॉमेस्टिक ट्रिप्स लगाई हैं।” she said.
She wen on to point out that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has traveled extensively abroad, he has not visited Manipur since 2022. Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state twice, Defence Minister once, and Finance Minister along with the party president did not visit at all.
“There is a saying, ‘Nero fiddled while Rome burned,’ अथार्त आग लगी बस्ती में साहब अपनी मस्ती में।” The comment sparked an uproar in the House, with interruptions from both sides. “पापा दूसरे देश की वॉर रुकवा सकते हैं, but why was not a second given to comfort the people of Manipur?” the MP questioned, leading to further disruptions.
As tempers flared, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai responded, “यह सदन बिलकुल असत्य की बुनियाद पर खड़े होकर बोलने का नहीं है। उनको पता नहीं है कि जब गृह मंत्री जी वहां पर गए थे, तो प्रधानमंत्री जी के निर्देशों का पालन करने के लिए गए थे।”
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He asserted that Home Minister Shah visited some of the most volatile regions, where previous governments had never dared to venture. “वही धरती गवाह है कि जब इन लोगों के राज में वहां हिंसा हुई थी, तो दस हजार से ज्यादा लोग मारे गए थे।”
Despite the rebuttal, Sayani Ghosh asserted, “Madam, as per a release by the Home Ministry, it was said that the Ministry will talk to both the groups so as to bridge the ethnic divide at the earliest. उस दिन का टेंडर अभी तक पास नहीं हुआ है। The bridge has not yet been constructed.”
She further pointed out that Shah visited Manipur on May 29, 2023, and constituted a Peace Committee under the Governor’s Chairpersonship. “But there has been no development since then. वहाँ बाद में यह देखा गया कि गवर्नर को जबरदस्ती हटा दिया गया, because she echoed the voice of the people of Manipur saying that मणिपुर के लोग दुखी हैं, मणिपुर के लोग अपसेट हैं। उन्होंने सिर्फ यह कहा था कि प्रधानमंत्री एक बार आएं और उनसे मिलें। इसमें गलत बात कुछ नहीं है।”
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The debate intensified with accusations of government negligence. “Is this the reason why the Government always shies away from any discussion and debate?” asked an opposition leader. “The truth is that double engine ran over the people of Manipur. Your double engine ran over the people of Manipur.”
In contrast, Ghosh highlighted her own leader’s approach. “जब कहीं कोई दुर्घटना घटती है, कहीं बस्ती में आग लगती है, जब कहीं आंधी आती है तो हमारी लीडर वहाँ खुद जाकर खड़ी हो जाती हैं। जहाँ पर वह खुद नहीं जा पाई, वहाँ पर उन्होंने अपना डेलीगेशन भेजा, चाहे वह हाथरस हो या लखीमपुर खीरी, चाहे वह सिंगूर बॉर्डर हो या वायनाड या मणिपुर हो। वह हमेशा दूसरों की उम्मीदों पर खरी उतरी हैं।”
“हम गर्व के साथ बोलते हैं कि यह बीजेपी समस्या है और दीदी समाधान है। बीजेपी कठपुतली है, ममता दीदी पूरा आसमान है। हम यह बोलते हैं। अंत में मैं बस इतना ही कहना चाहती हूँ कि आप मणिपुर का बजट बनाएँ, सप्लीमेंट्री बजट बनाएँ और इस देश में मंथन बना रहे हैं, इस देश को मंथन बनाएँ। भारत में गवर्नमेंट है, लेकिन गवर्नेंस नहीं, बजट है, लेकिन बचत नहीं, खर्चा है, लेकिन रोजगार नहीं, बाग है, लेकिन बहार नहीं। ऐसे भारत को हम जानते नहीं, ऐसी सरकार को हम पहचानते नहीं।”
Pointing out that the Prime Minister was on a visit to Mauritius, Ghosh said, . “आज माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी मॉरीशस गए हैं। उनको हमारी तरफ से बड़ी शुभकामनाएँ हैं। एक तरफ मॉरीशस है, दूसरी तरफ मणिपुर है।”
