Mamata cancels China trip as meetings not confirmed
Kolkata, June 22: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday cancelled her eight-day trip to China as the scheduled political meetings "at the appropriate level" under the Exchange Programme between the two countries were not confirmed.
Banerjee, who was supposed to leave for China on Friday evening, termed the cancellation "unfortunate", but said without a confirmation of those meetings, her visit to China was pointless.
"Till yesterday, everything was going on well, but unfortunately, the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings.
"It has now been intimated by our Ambassador in China that the political meetings at the appropriate level under the Exchange Programme could not be confirmed. Therefore, the purpose of my visit with a delegation to China under the Exchange Programme is of no use," she tweeted.
"Although our Ambassador tried his best to make the programme a success, non-confirmation of the political meetings as proposed by the Indian Ambassador to China, at the last moment, has unfortunately compelled us to cancel the visit," she said.
The Chief Minister, however, hoped that the incident would not impact the relationship between the two countries.
"I wish the continuation of the friendship of India and China in the days to come and it should strengthen further in the interest of both the countries."
Banerjee was requested by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in March to take part in the Exchange Programme between the Government of India and the International Department of the Communist Party of China.
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CPI(M) demands Centre's intervention to end violence in Manipur
New Delhi (PTI): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and demanded that the Union government intervene to end the violence.
In a statement issued here, the Politburo of the CPI(M) also held Chief Minister Biren Singh responsible for the deteriorating situation.
“A grave situation has developed in Manipur with the intensification of violence due to killings and counter-killings on ethnic lines. 20 people have been killed in various incidents since November 7,” the CPI(M) said.
The party said that the discovery of five bodies of women and children, who were abducted earlier in a horrific incident, has inflamed the situation in the Valley.
The Left party questioned why Singh had been allowed to continue in his post.
“Right from the beginning, it was Chief Minister Biren Singh who was responsible for the deteriorating situation, yet the Central government and the BJP, as the ruling party, refused to remove him and allowed him to continue,” they said.
A situation has now arisen where the writ of the state government and the administration does not run, the Left party said, adding that it is time for the Central government to strongly intervene to immediately put an end to the violence.
“It must also begin serious efforts for a political settlement that restores peace and safeguards the rights of all ethnic communities in the state,” they added.
The situation in Manipur, which has been reeling from ethnic strife since May last year, has become even more volatile following protests and violence after the recovery of the bodies of women and children.
More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between the Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.
