R. Vanramchhuanga, the former vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mizoram, resigned from the party on July 13, accusing it of being “an anti-Christian party” and labeling the prime minister a “failure.” He emphasized that as the head of the government, the prime minister is constitutionally, politically, and morally responsible for safeguarding citizens, but he believes that the prime minister has failed in all three aspects concerning Manipur.
During a 33-minute interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire, Vanramchhuanga raised several questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s actions regarding Manipur. He questioned why the prime minister remains silent on the situation in the state and why he hasn’t declared President’s Rule to address the issues. He also criticized the lack of safeguarding and comforting measures for tribal people and Christians in Manipur.
Vanramchhuanga placed direct responsibility on Manipur’s Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their failure to prevent Christian churches from being burnt and their inability to protect the Kuki Christian people. He accused both leaders of dereliction of duty and not fulfilling their moral responsibilities.
In his resignation letter, he mentioned that numerous Christian churches, pastor quarters, and office buildings were burned to ashes by Meitei militants, a claim he stands by and asserts to be confirmed by various sources and organizations.
Vanramchhuanga spoke about his disillusionment with the BJP, stating that he initially joined the party with hopes of supporting Mizoram’s development. However, he expressed disappointment with the party’s failure to protect Christians in Manipur, leading him to believe that the BJP is indeed an anti-Christian party.
Despite living in Mizoram, he acknowledged reports of deteriorating conditions for Indian Christians in the country, including instances of Christians being jailed in Uttar Pradesh simply due to their religious identity.
Regarding the European Parliament’s debate and resolution on Manipur, he recognized it as a form of interference, but he argued it could be justified by the same logic India used when intervening in East Pakistan in 1971 or when criticizing Pakistan’s treatment of Hindus.
Finally, Vanramchhuanga predicted that the BJP’s electoral performance in Mizoram during the November elections would be negatively affected by the ongoing events in Manipur.
