Rahul posts video on Manipur visit with message for Modi
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday posted a five-minute video documenting his visit to relief camps in strife-torn Manipur, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do the same. "Since the violence began...this is my third visit...[to Manipur]...there has been no improvement in the situation...the state remains divided...Homes are burning, innocent lives are in danger, and thousands...are forced to live in relief camps," Gandhi said in his X post in Hindi.
PM should come to Manipur, listen to people: Gandhi
"The Prime Minister should come to Manipur himself to listen to the people's suffering and appeal for peace. The Congress party and INDIA [Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance] will raise the need for peace in Manipur forcefully in Parliament, putting pressure on the government to end this tragedy," Gandhi added. Notably, the PM has yet to visit the state since the conflict began.
Watch: Video posted by Gandhi here
Gandhi's earlier statement calling for PM Modi's intervention
Earlier at a relief camp in Churachandpur, Manipur, Gandhi had said, "If the government wants to end it(conflict), it can end very quickly." Separately, the Congress MP had reiterated his call for PM Modi's visit to Manipur in a press conference in Imphal. "I feel that it is important that the PM come here, listen to the people of Manipur...even if there was no tragedy, the Prime Minister should have come to Manipur," he had said.
Gandhi met Manipur governor during visit
During his visit, Gandhi had met with Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey and expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of peace restoration. Gandhi pledged to collaborate with people of Manipur towards peace. Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum urged Gandhi for an immediate political solution to ethnic hostilities. Notably, Gandhi was accompanied by Manipur's Lok Sabha MPs Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Inner Manipur) and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Outer Manipur (ST)), along with Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and other senior party leaders.
Disruptions in Parliament over Manipur conflict
To recall, Manipur conflict became a flashpoint during inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha. During the PM's address to the Lower House, opposition disrupted his speech with relentless chants of "Manipur, Manipur" and "We want justice." A day later, the PM in his address to the Rajya Sabha said that the violence in Manipur is decreasing and the government is actively working to curb it. He also criticized the opposition for politicizing the sensitive issue.
Explained: Manipur ethnic conflict
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.
