US offers help on Manipur violence
America has also expressed concern about the violence in Manipur, as well as offered help. US Ambassador Eric Garcetti said this during a press meet held at the America Center in Kolkata. Although Eric also said that this is an internal matter of India. He hoped that peace would soon be restored in Manipur, which would open up avenues for investment and development in the region. Garcetti made this statement in response to a reporter’s question about violence, attacks on the Christian minority and deaths in Manipur in the last two months. At the same time, both the government and the opposition have objected to this statement of the American ambassador. US Ambassador said we pray for peace in Manipur. As far as US concern is concerned, this is not a strategic issue. It is more an issue of humanity than this. Eric said that it is not necessary that you are an Indian only to express grief over the killing of people and children in such violence. He said that there has been a lot of progress in the North East and in the East. India has done remarkable things in the last few years, but all this will progress only when peace prevails. He further said that if any help is sought from us in the matter of Manipur, we are ready, although we know that it is an issue of India. At the same time, when asked about this statement of the American Ambassador, Foreign Secretary Arindam Bagchi expressed ignorance. Although he said that we also want peace in Manipur. Our agencies and security forces and local government are continuously working in this direction. Bagchi further said that I am not sure that a foreign ambassador should make such comments on India’s internal issue. At the same time, Congress leader Manish Tiwari has also raised objection regarding this. Tweeting on the US ambassador’s statement, Tiwari said that as far as I can remember, in the last four decades I have not seen any American diplomat commenting on India’s internal issue. He said that we have solved problems in Punjab, Jammu-Kashmir and North East earlier also.
