Imphal, July 29: A 21-member delegation from the opposition parties is set to visit Manipur today to assess the ground situation in the northeastern state, which has been grappling with ethnic violence for almost three months.
The visit comes amid the ongoing logjam in Parliament over the Manipur issue, with the opposition demanding a thorough discussion and a statement from the Prime Minister on the matter.
The delegation includes prominent leaders from various parties, such as Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, Sushmita Dev of the Trinamool, DMK’s Kanimozhi, RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha, and JDU chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, among others. This marks their first visit to the state since the formation of the opposition front INDIA.
The delegation is scheduled to land in Imphal around noon and will directly proceed to Churachandpur via helicopter. In Churachandpur, they are slated to meet with leaders of the Kuki tribe, representatives of civil society, and women’s groups to gain insights into the prevailing situation.
Also, the delegation will visit relief camps and interact with the victims of violence before returning to Imphal to engage with members of the Meitei community.
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The BJP has accused the opposition parties of potentially exacerbating the situation in the state. Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad expressed his opposition to their visit, urging them not to escalate tensions further. However, the opposition leaders remain resolute in their intent to visit Manipur and bring forth the truth before Parliament.
Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi asserted that the government has failed in addressing the situation, prompting their visit to explore potential solutions. Trinamool’s Sushmita Dev emphasized the need to listen to the people of Manipur and understand their predicament, stating that “Manipur needs to be heard.”
The Manipur issue has led to a deadlock in Parliament since the commencement of the Monsoon Session, with opposition MPs demanding a comprehensive discussion on the matter and a statement from the Prime Minister.
The government, on the other hand, has asserted that Home Minister Amit Shah will address the opposition’s concerns. Additionally, the government is slated to face a no-confidence motion brought forward by Congress. While the motion has been accepted by the Lok Sabha Speaker, the date for the no-trust vote is yet to be decided.
The visit of the opposition delegation to Manipur follows Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state on June 29-30. During his visit, his convoy was halted, and he subsequently flew to the violence-hit Churachandpur district from the state capital, Imphal, via helicopter.
The government, led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, has so far resisted calls for resignation and is preparing to convene an assembly session at the end of this month or early August.
Since the outbreak of violence on May 3, at least 180 lives have been lost, and thousands have been displaced in Manipur, making it imperative for the political leaders to address the situation promptly and collaboratively to restore peace and stability to the region.
