Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Manipur on Monday, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the state affected by ethnic strife to provide some comfort to its people. Gandhi emphasized his party's support for any governmental measures aimed at restoring peace.
Describing the events in Manipur as a "tremendous tragedy," Gandhi noted that this was his third visit to the state since the violence erupted in May of the previous year, and he observed "no improvement in the situation."
During his day-long visit, Gandhi toured three relief camps in different districts of the BJP-ruled state, engaging with the displaced individuals from both the Meitei and Kuki communities, which have been embroiled in ethnic violence resulting in over 200 deaths since May of the previous year.
"The Prime Minister should have visited the state long ago. It is crucial for him to come to Manipur, understand the situation, and offer some comfort to the people. Congress is ready to support any initiative that would help improve the situation," Gandhi, who is also the Raebareli MP, stated during a press conference.
“This is my third visit since the onset of the problem. The situation has been a tremendous tragedy. I expected to see some improvement, but I was disappointed to find that the situation remains far from resolved," he added.
Gandhi had previously visited Manipur shortly after the ethnic violence broke out on May 3 of the previous year. He also launched his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' from the state in January 2024.
This visit marked his first trip to Manipur since becoming the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and after the Congress won both Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Gandhi expressed that his purpose in visiting was to listen to the grievances of those affected by the violence, build their confidence, and as an opposition leader, put pressure on the government to take action.
"I want to tell all the people of Manipur that I am here as your brother, someone who wants to help and work with you to restore peace in Manipur. I am ready to do whatever I can, and the Congress party is ready to do whatever it can to bring back peace," he said.
Reflecting on the unprecedented nature of the conflict, Gandhi stated that he had never witnessed anything similar elsewhere in India, and emphasized that violence and hatred would not solve the issues, but respect and dialogue could.
"The state is completely divided, and this is a tragedy for everyone involved. The entire state is suffering. Thinking about peace and affection would be a significant step forward for Manipur," the Congress leader remarked.
Gandhi assured that whenever the people of Manipur needed it, he and his party would be there to support them.
"The Indian government and everyone who considers themselves a patriot must embrace the people of Manipur," he asserted, noting that he had also met Governor Anusuiya Uikey before holding the press conference.
"We conveyed to the governor our willingness to assist in any way we can. We also expressed our dissatisfaction with the current progress. I don't want to politicize the issue; that is not my intention," Gandhi concluded.
