Mob vandalises BJP office, burns down house in Manipur

Guwahati: Armed mobs roaming in the streets of Manipur’s state capital, Imphal, vandalized a BJP mandal office at Thongju locality late on Friday and burnt down a house at Langol locality on Saturday morning, even as the Army and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) thwarted several attempts by multiple groups to torch houses of ministers, leaders and offices of the BJP party in multiple locations.
After partially setting the house of junior foreign minister RK Ranjan Singh on fire on Thursday, a mob tried to vandalise the residence of BJP state president, Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, located near Porompat late on Friday evening.
Security sources said that an Army column and the RAF rushed to the area and dispersed the mob before it could strike. Later, the Army, Assam Rifles, RAF and state police also undertook a joint flag march throughout Imphal.
RAF personnel also prevented a mob of around 300 from vandalising state BJP minister Thongam Biswajit’s house in the same area, where the party president’s house is located.
Security sources added that another mob gheraoed the BJP office at Singjamei area, while a different group tried to storm the Irengbam police station. Both attempts were nullified by the Army and RAF personnel. Despite several attempts to target offices and houses of the ruling party, the BJP said the party has adopted a policy to remain silent.
“This is because it is a kind of artificial conflict in the state created by some vested groups and the party does not want to fall into the traps. So we are waiting for the right time to speak out. There is pressure from civil society organizations as well as the opposition asking the party why it is silent. The people also will definitely want to know the party stand, but we have adopted to remain silent,” Manipur BJP spokesman Elangbam Johnson told media in Imphal.