According to the Congress Party, Indian opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi’s tour of Manipur; a state plagued by unrest, has been stopped abruptly by the police.
Conflicts between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which make up the majority in Manipur, have rocked the state for the previous two months.
So far, more than 400 people have been injured and more than 100 individuals have died. Nearly 60,000 people have been displaced due to violence in Manipur and are taking shelter in some 350 camps.
Gandhi is in the north-eastern state on a two-day visit to meet people displaced by the violence and leaders of civil society groups.
After arriving in Imphal, Manipur’s capital, on Thursday, 29 June 2023, morning, Gandhi made a Facebook post which reads, “restoration of peace is the top priority. Manipur needs healing, and only together we can bring harmony”.
Soon after, however, prominent Congress party leader, KC Venugopal informed the media that Gandhi’s convoy had been stopped by police close to the Bishnupur district when it was en route to Churachandpur town to visit relief camps.
“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?”
KC Venugopal
Venugopal made a tweet about Gandhi’s visit on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, saying that the state had been “burning for nearly two months” and “desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace”.
A police officer disclosed that the convoy had been stopped to ensure Gandhi’s security. “We fear repetition of such [violent] events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur,” the police officer said.
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has held a meeting with top government officials to review the situation in Manipur. However, he has been criticized for not visiting the state or commenting on the situation there.
Since the fighting started in early May, a lot of homes, churches, and temples have been demolished by mobs, and some state ministers’ and lawmakers’ homes have been attacked and set on fire.
Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state about a month after the outbreak of violence to implement a strategy to bring about a return to normalcy. However, new acts of violence are still being recorded virtually every day.
Congress Leaders React To The Situation
The event has prompted a stern response from Congress party leaders.
President of the Congress Party, Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of “using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach” by Gandhi.
“This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms. Manipur needs peace, not confrontation,” he tweeted.
Congress party MP, Jairam Ramesh noted that Gandhi’s two-day visit to the state was in the spirit of his Bharat Jodo Yatra; a five-month long unity march across the country.
“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?” he queried.
Gandhi’s visit to Manipur comes amid the opposition’s demand for the resignation of the state’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress leaders have criticized Singh for not being able to “restore peace and normalcy” in the state and have asked for federal rule to be imposed.
About 40,000 security forces have been deployed to quell the violence. However, the situation continues to remain tense. The locals’ ability to live their normal lives has been utterly disrupted by curfews, internet blackouts, sporadic killings, and arson.
