Condemning the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the violence in Manipur, several members of the Meitei community in Imphal East boycotted his Mann Ki Baat program on Sunday.

The protestors gathered at the district’s Singjamei area and broke their radio sets. They also chanted “Mann ki baat taningdey” (We don’t want to listen to Mann Ki Baat).

All Manipur United Clubs Organisation president Pheiroijam Nando Luwang told Scroll that the prime minister’s Mann ki Baat is unnecessary for the residents of Manipur.

“They don’t want to hear the Mann Ki Baat as the prime minister did nothing [to stop the violence],” Luwang said. “Why he is still in the state of mum? The protest was against his silence on the violence even after 46 days.”

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 3. The violence has left more than 100 persons dead, over 300 injured and thousands displaced.

Several Opposition parties have criticised Modi for being silent over the violence in Manipur. A ten-party delegation that has been waiting in Delhi for an appointment with Modi since June 12.

It includes representatives from the Congress, Janata Dal (United), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Aam Aadmi Party and Nationalist Congress Party.

On Saturday, Former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who is part of the delegation, had said that about 20,000 people were in relief camps across the state.

“However, the prime minister has not yet expressed anything regarding Manipur,” he had said. “Is Manipur a part of India or not? If it is, why hasn’t the Prime Minister of India spoken about it?”