Rahul Gandhi Reaches Imphal For 2-Day Visit To Violence-Stricken Manipur

As violence persists in Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in the capital city of Imphal on Thursday for a two-day visit to the state.

Gandhi was received by former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Keisham Meghachandra Singh at the Imphal airport.

The former MP will be in Manipur on June 29 and 30 during which he is scheduled to visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur.

"Rahul Gandhi will visit relief camps and meet people displaced by the ethnic clashes and also interact with representatives of civil society in Imphal and Churachandpur during the visit," Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a tweet. 

Ethnic clashes broke out in the state on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

"Rahul Gandhi ji will be visiting Manipur on 29-30 June. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit. Manipur has been burning for nearly two months and desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace. This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate," said KC Venugopal in a tweet.

Further, speaking about the same, Kh Debabrata, Working President MPCC said, "Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Churachandpur to meet people staying in the relief camps and stay with the affected families. Later he will visit Moirang and will interact with the affected families and Civil Society Organisations. Tomorrow he will meet important people in Imphal and also visit two more relief camps."

Since the outbreak of the violence, the Congress has been vocal about it.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has "left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation" while appealing for peace and harmony in the state.

Ajoy Kumar, AICC Incharge North East said that there is total law and order "failure" in the state right now.

"Rahul Gandhi and Congress party has always been raising the Manipur issue. Rahul Gandhi believes that the country needs to know the situation of Manipur. There is total law and order failure in the state right now. The double-engine government has become the triple problem government. Rahul Gandhi will be meeting the people of the state and I think the government should take a lesson, after this visit," Kumar said.

The BJP is under heavy fire from the Opposition and other quarters over the continuing violence in Manipur.

The party has already demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

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