Manipur Violence: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit violence-hit Manipur from June 29 to 30. This is the Congress leader’s first visit to the northeastern state engulfed in caste violence since May 3. During his visit, Gandhi will visit the relief camps set up there. Party general secretary KC Venugopal said on Tuesday that he would hold talks with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur.
AICC general secretary (organisation) Venugopal tweeted, “Shri Rahul Gandhi ji will visit Manipur on June 29-30. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur.”
‘Manipur is burning’
He further said that Manipur has been burning for almost two months now, and is in dire need of a remedial touch so that the society can move from conflict to peace. “It is a human tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate,” Venugopal said.
PM Modi chairs meeting on Manipur violence
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an important meeting to take stock of the Manipur violence. Union Home Minister Amit Shah briefed PM Modi about the situation in Manipur and the internal security situation in violence-hit Manipur. Last month, Shah visited the state four times and met different sections of people as part of his efforts to bring back peace in the northeastern state.
Meanwhile, following the direction of the Home Minister, the Central Government has also approved a relief package of Rs 101.75 crore for the displaced people in Manipur.
‘PM Modi should sack the Chief Minister of Manipur’
Earlier on Monday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the Manipur violence and said that if he was really concerned about the state, he should first sack Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Kharge said no amount of “propaganda” by the BJP-led government could hide its “absolute failure” to deal with the situation in Manipur.
Peace Committee in Manipur
On 10 June, the central government constituted a peace committee under the chairmanship of Governor Anusuiya Uikey to facilitate the process of establishing peace among various ethnic groups in Manipur and to initiate dialogue between the warring parties and groups.
The Center had on June 4 constituted a commission of inquiry headed by former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajay Lamba to probe the recent violence in Manipur. The Union Home Ministry said the commission will investigate the causes and spread of violence and riots targeting members of various communities that took place in Manipur on and after May 3.
About Manipur violence
Incidents like arson are being witnessed in Manipur since May 3. Violence broke out in Manipur after clashes broke out during a rally organized by the All Tribals Students’ Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for inclusion of Meites in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list. Significantly, in the northeastern state, more than 100 people have lost their lives so far in ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
The Meiteis constitute about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. The tribals – the Nagas and the Kukis – form 40 per cent of the population and live in the hill districts.