PremiumCongress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to violence-hit Manipur. He has reached Imphal today, June 29, Thursday. Rahul Gandhi will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur. The visit by Rahul Gandhi comes as the ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur spiraled into large-scale conflict with insurgent groups running their missions at the expense of innocent lives.
More than 130 people have lost their life since 3 May and the Opposition is demanding the imposition of President's rule in the state. The government has deployed around 36,000 security personnel in the state and 40 IPS officers are also monitoring the situation in Manipur.
Catch all the live updates on Manipur violence here.
Indian Army on Thursday informed armed rioters fired towards Haraothel village/Kangpokpi district and the security forces effectively controlled the buildup mob in the area.
“Firing by armed rioters towards Haraothel village/Kangpokpi district. Buildup of mob in the area to interfere with operations by Security Forces effectively controlled. At approx 4 PM, troops deployed in the area heard firing from East of village K Munlai. Further, at approx 5.15 PM, an exchange of fire was reported from direction of Village Bethel, South of National Sports University. Own columns are dominating the area to de-escalate the situation," Spear Corps, Indian Army said
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that Rahul Gandhi listens to everyone's stories and gave the message that peace will come.
"We don't know why the Govt stopped us. Rahul Gandhi's visit will strengthen the peace efforts...We visited there also, we have come here also (relief camps). The condition is pathetic in all areas. We have to listen to them, Rahul Gandhi listens to everyone's stories. He has given the message that peace will come and that they should not worry and everyone is with them..." KC Venugopal said.
After much political drama, Rahul Gandhi visited a relief camp in Imphal to meet people displaced the ethnic clashes in Manipur
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Rahul Gandhi went to Manipur to share the message of peace.
"Rahul Gandhi ji has gone to share the pain of people of Manipur and spread the message of peace. The BJP government should also do the same. Why does the government want to stop Rahul Gandhi ji?" she asked.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday lashed out on government as Manipur police stopped Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Churachandpur. Kharge said that the governments is using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi
"Gandhi's convoy in Manipur has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself," Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge
"Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms. Manipur needs peace not confrontation," he added.
Former Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh added that the action by government to stop Rahul Gandhi is a sample of dictatorship.
"This type of dictatorship...what is the fate of our democracy? This is a sample. This is a dictatorship. We are not coming here to politicise. We are coming here just to meet the people who are suffering, just to console them," Okram Ibobi Singh told ANI
Former Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh said they don't want to politcise the issue of Rahul Gandhi's visit
"We are not coming here to politicise the issue, but only to meet those who are suffering in the state," says former Manipur's CM Okram Ibobi Singh said.
RJD MP Manoj Jha on Thursday spoke on Manipur police stopping Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Churachandpur and said that the administration should facilitate his visit
"Rahul Gandhi's visit should have been actually facilitated (by the administration). The Prime Minister should also visit the state (Manipur). This is what the real India is all about," RJD MP Manoj Jha told PTI.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that it is very unfortunate that the government is stopping him to visit certain areas of Manipur. He said that the people of all communities are being very welcoming and loving and Manipur needs healing.
"I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It’s very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," Rahul Gandhi tweeted
Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra told ANI on Thursday that Rahul Gandhi's planned visit to Moirang is cancelled as the administration didn't permit him to visit Moirang either by road or by air. The Congress leader added that Rahul Gandhi could meet violence-affected people only in Churachandpur and will return to Imphal after that. Meghachandra said that there is no clarity if Rahul Gandhi will be able to continue with his visits scheduled for tomorrow.
BJP responded to the allegations of intentionally stopping Rahul Gandhi in Manipur and politicising the issue. Sambit Patra held a press briefing and said that Rahul Gandhi went to Manipur with stubbornness and he should be aware about the ground realties of the state.
"It is very sad that with that stubbornness, Rahul Gandhi went to Manipur, it was not right. Sensitivity is far more important than stubbornness when there is such a situation," BJP leader Sambit Patra said
The Manipur Congress and locals gathered in protest against the police for their decision to stop Rahul Gandhi from visiting violence's hit Churachandpur. Rahul Gandhi was forced to return to state capital Imphal and is likely to go to the pre-fixed program by helicopter. Read More
Bharatiya Janata Party IT Cell chief Amit Malviya again launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his visit to violence-hit Manipur and said that he's just a political opportunist.
Rahul Gandhi 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.
The BJP IT cell chief in a tweet said that Rahul Gandhi is "no messiah of peace just a political opportunist, who wants to keep the pot boiling."
Malviya said that not once did the Congress leader visit Manipur's Churachandpur from 2015-17 to meet the victims of ethnic violence that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govt's decision to pass three Bills.
"Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govt's decision to pass three Bills - the Protection of Manipur People's Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, which were seen by the people of Churachandpur district, comprising mostly of Paites and Kukis, as 'anti-Tribal', and a 'conspiracy' by the majority Meitei community to grab Tribal land," Malviya said in his tweet.
He also said that nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years adding that his visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for the people but his own selfish political agenda.
"Nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years. Why didn't Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then? He is no messiah of peace, just a political opportunist who wants to keep the pot boiling," the tweet read. (PTI)
After Rahul Gandhi convoy was stopped by the Bishnupur police on 29 June, the Congress leader took a helicopter to visit Churachandpur, said PTI sources.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi had to stop at Bishnupur, around 20 kilometres from Imphal, after police halted his convoy fearing attacks on it.
"Rahul Gandhi took a state government-provided chopper to visit Churachandpur. Top police and administration officials accompanied him in the helicopter," said a source at the airport.
Gandhi who was on a two-day visit to the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state from Thursday, came back to the Imphal airport from Bishnupur and boarded the helicopter. His convoy was travelling to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area. (PTI)
The All Manipur Students Union' issued a statement today condemning the successive governments in the state and said that the Congress Party has a big role to play in it.
".. We believe that the present communal crisis in Manipur is a result of the political blunders that have been committed by the successive governments that have ruled Manipur over time and Congress has a big role to play," the union said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi returns to Imphal, Manipur. Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped by police near Bishnupur
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a tweet wrote, “It is most unfortunate that the Modi Govt is preventing Rahul Gandhi from visiting relief camps and interact with the people outside Imphal. His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Prime Minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive but why stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch?"
In a tweet, the Congress Party wrote, “Rahul Gandhi was going to meet the victims of Manipur violence. The BJP government stopped them on the way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. The people in power have a strong hatred for peace, love and brotherhood. But they should remember... This country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love."
Manipur Pradesh Congress President on Thursday said there was complete failure of the law and order in the State where normalcy has not yet been restored and pointed that the "double-engine government has become the triple-problem."
The Indian Army has urged for public support to restore peace, expressing concern over women activists in Manipur blocking routes and interfering with security operations, hindering timely responses.
Rahul Gandhi's convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us?: Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal to ANI.
Cong leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy stopped by Manipur police at Bishnupur fearing violence on way to Churachandpur.
After arriving at Imphal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi left for Manipur's Churachandpur where he will meet people displaced by the ethnic strife at relief camps on Thursday.
State Congress officials told PTI that Gandhi will also interact with civil society representatives, intellectuals and others in the course of his two-day visit.
More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.
Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Unidentified gunmen fired “without provocation" at Haraothel village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Thursday morning, sources said.
Security forces returned the fire and the shootout has now stopped, they said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to the state and will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit.
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