Rahul Gandhi to visit relief camps in Manipur today
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to tour Manipur and visit relief camps on Monday to meet people displaced by ethnic violence. This marks Gandhi's first visit to the state since his election as Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, in the recent general election. He is also scheduled to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan at 6 pm during his visit.
Why does this story matter?
Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic violence since May 2023 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organized in the hill districts to protest the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The Meiteis—who make up 53% of the population—are largely limited to the Imphal Valley. In comparison, tribal-dominated hill areas reportedly cover 90% of Manipur. Migration from Bangladesh and Myanmar has compounded the problem in Imphal. This has driven Meiteis to demand ST status to have access to tribals' lands.
Disruptions in Parliament over Manipur conflict
The recently-concluded Parliament session witnessed repeated disruptions over Manipur. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to the President's address in the Lok Sabha, opposition MPs relentlessly chanted "Manipur, Manipur." The following day in the Rajya Sabha, the PM talked about the northeastern state, saying that "violence in Manipur is decreasing." Notably, Gandhi has visited Manipur twice before. PM Modi has not yet visited the state—a point that has been brought up by the opposition several times to attack the PM.
Gandhi's itinerary
According to Gandhi's schedule, he will visit relief camps in Jiribam, Churachandpur, and Moirang during his day-long visit. The visit will conclude with a press conference at the Manipur Congress office at 6:15 pm. "(Rahul) Gandhi has chosen to visit Manipur where peace is necessary.... We are grateful that he chose to visit the state after being chosen as leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha," news agency PTI quoted a Congress leader in Manipur as saying.
Gandhi visits flood-affected people in Assam
Before Manipur, Gandhi visited flood-affected people in Assam's Lakhipur relief camp. During this visit, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah submitted a memorandum to Gandhi. The memorandum urged him to raise the issue of perennial floods in Assam in Parliament and called for a special package to address the situation in the state.
