Constitutional crisis in Manipur forced imposition of President's rule: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said the imposition of President's rule in Manipur is a direct admission of the failure of the BJP governments at the Centre and the state, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to the people there.

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said there is a Constitutional crisis in Manipur that forced the imposition of President's rule.

"Narendra Modi ji, It is your party which has been ruling at the Centre for 11 years. It is your party which was ruling Manipur for 8 years. It is the BJP which was responsible for maintaining Law & Order in the state.

"It is your government which is responsible for National Security and border patrol. The imposition of President's rule by YOU, suspending YOUR own party's government is a direct admission on how YOU failed the people of Manipur," Kharge said.

He said the government has imposed President's rule not because it wanted to, but because there is a Constitutional crisis in the state, as none of the NDA MLAs are willing to accept the "baggage of your incompetence".

"Your "Double Engine" ran over the lives of the innocent people of Manipur! High time you now step in Manipur and listen to the pain and trauma of the suffering people and apologise to them. Do you have the courage of conviction?" Kharge asked.

The Congress chief said the people of Manipur will not forgive Prime Minister Modi and his party.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday that the imposition of President's rule in Manipur is a belated admission by the BJP of their complete inability to govern in Manipur.

"Now, PM Modi can no longer deny his direct responsibility for Manipur," he said in a post on X.

"Has he finally made up his mind to visit the state, and explain to the people of Manipur and India his plan to restore peace and normalcy?" Gandhi asked.

President's rule was imposed in strife-torn Manipur on Thursday and the state assembly put under suspended animation, days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post that led to political uncertainty in the northeastern state.

The Manipur assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Singh, who was heading the BJP government in Manipur, resigned as chief minister after nearly 21 months of ethnic violence that has claimed over 250 lives so far.