Rahul Gandhi Visits Relief Camps in Manipur to Meet Displaced Persons
Following the outbreak of violence, Gandhi previously made two visits to the region. During the recent Parliament session, opposition INDIA bloc members interrupted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on July 2, chanting ‘Justice for Manipur.’ Similar scenes occurred in the Rajya Sabha during the Prime Minister’s reply to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited relief camps in Manipur to interact with people displaced by ethnic violence. As the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Gandhi arrived in Manipur on Monday and visited camps in Jiribam and Churachandpur districts. The ethnic violence between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos began on May 3 last year. This marks Gandhi’s first visit to the state since being elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli in the recent general election. He is also scheduled to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey at the Raj Bhavan at 6 pm.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his recent speech, mentioned efforts to bring peace to Manipur, highlighting that 11,000 FIRs had been filed and 500 arrests made. He noted that incidents of violence are decreasing, indicating potential for peace.
Violence erupted in Jiribam on June 6 after a Meitei farmer, Soibam Sarat Singh, was found dead with injuries on his neck. The situation escalated further after claims that a person from the Kuki-Zo community had gone missing. Jiribam lies along Manipur’s border with Assam, and the NH-37 passes through the district, making it critical for allowing essential supplies to reach the rest of the state.
Before his visit to Manipur, Rahul Gandhi met flood-affected victims in Silchar, Assam. He urged the Centre to extend all possible help and support to the state immediately. Around 22.70 lakh people in 28 districts of Assam have been affected by the floods, with 78 people killed due to floods, landslides, and storms this year.
