Manipur government not lifting blockade for political gains: BJP

Guwahati, December 26: BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav blamed the Manipur government for the ongoing blockade in the state and said the ruling Congress is playing politics with the lives of people.

Madhav said this while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of the Bharatiya Janata Party workers' meeting at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra here on Monday. Home Minister Rajnath Singh was also a part of the meet.

"Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is playing politics with the lives of people of the Manipur valley. The central government has extended all support and sent all the required security forces to clear the blockade on NH 2 and NH 53," he said.

"However, the Manipur chief minister is not acting with the narrow objective of gaining some votes in the forthcoming assembly elections," he added.

Manipur has been on the boil since the last few weeks due to the nearly two-month-old blockade of national highways called by the United Naga Council (UNC) opposing the government's decision to create seven new districts bifurcating some Naga dominated areas of the state.

"We have been asking the Manipur government to lift the blockade. Law and order is a state subject and so it is the state government's responsibility," he said.

Asked about any plan to impose President's Rule in the state, the senior BJP leader said: "Right now the focus is to push the state government to clear the blockade, which is causing severe trouble to the people."