'Denial, distortion, distraction, defamation': Congress slams Nadda's letter to Kharge on Manipur

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday slammed BJP president J P Nadda over his allegation that the opposition party was pushing a politically motivated narrative on the issue of Manipur, saying his letter to Mallikarjun Kharge is a "4D exercise -- denial, distortion, distraction, and defamation".

Nadda on Friday accused the Congress of pushing an "incorrect, false and politically" motivated narrative on the issue of Manipur unrest, as he hit back at Kharge for seeking President Droupadi Murmu's intervention and alleging the Centre's complete failure in defusing the crisis.

In a rejoinder to Kharge, Nadda claimed the repercussions of the Congress's "abject failure" in dealing with local issues in Manipur when it was in power are being felt even today.

Hitting back at Nadda, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Congress President Kharge ji wrote to the President of India on Manipur. Apparently to counter that letter, the BJP President has now written to the Congress President." "Naddaji's letter is, not surprisingly, full of falsehoods and is a 4D exercise - denial, distortion, distraction, and defamation," he said in a post on X.

The people of Manipur are yearning for normalcy, peace, and harmony to return to the state at the earliest, Ramesh said.

"Towards this end they are asking four simple questions: When will the PM visit the state? How much longer will the CM continue to be inflicted on the state, when a majority of MLAs are not in his support? When will a full-time Governor for the state be appointed? When will the Union Home Minister take responsibility for his abject failures in Manipur?" Ramesh said.

In his letter, Nadda told Kharge what is shocking is how repeated attempts are being made by the Congress party to sensationalise the situation in Manipur.

He said Kharge seemed to have forgotten that not only did his government legitimise the illegal migration of foreign militants to India, the then home minister P Chidambaram had signed treaties with them.

Kharge on Tuesday had written to President Murmu over the deteriorating situation in Manipur and sought her immediate intervention to ensure that people of the state live peacefully in their homes with dignity.

In his two-page letter to the President, Kharge had alleged that both the Union and state governments of Manipur have "completely failed" in restoring peace and normalcy in the state during the last 18 months and the people have lost confidence in them.

Kharge had said that the violence has claimed more than 300 human lives, including women, children and babies.

"The deteriorating law and order in Manipur has internally displaced nearly a lakh of human population rendering them homeless and forcing them to live in different relief camps," he had said, adding the agony continues unabated.

He had said the "refusal" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur is beyond anybody's understanding.

"I consider that it has become constitutionally imperative on the part of yourself, Hon'ble Madam, as the President of the Republic of India and the custodian of our Constitution to uphold the constitutional propriety and immediately intervene to ensure the protection of lives and properties of our own citizens in Manipur, as enshrined in the Constitution," Kharge wrote to the President.

The Congress has been attacking the prime minister for not visiting Manipur, besides slamming the Centre for its handling of the situation in the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state.

More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.