Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to violence-hit Manipur took an unexpected turn when his convoy was stopped by the police in the Bishnupur area. Despite the interruption, Gandhi managed to land in Churachandpur, the district worst affected by the weeks-long violence, using the chopper provided by the police. Once there, he visited relief camps to gather firsthand information and interacted with the displaced individuals.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal expressed his concerns over the police’s decision, stating, “Rahul Gandhi’s convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. 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 they have stopped us.”
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president, and senior leader Jairam Ramesh also criticized the move, highlighting the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in addressing the Manipur crisis and emphasizing Gandhi’s intent to provide support during these troubled times.
In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized Gandhi’s actions, deeming them irresponsible. Sambit Patra, BJP’s national spokesperson and Manipur in-charge, held a press conference in Delhi where he stated that local authorities had advised Gandhi to visit Churachandpur via helicopter due to the prevailing tensions in the state. However, Gandhi chose to travel by road, which resulted in unfortunate consequences, including the reported loss of life.
Protests erupted in Bishnupur as a reaction to Gandhi’s visit, and the police had to employ tear gas to disperse the crowd. Conflicting reports emerged regarding the nature of the protests, with some suggesting opposition to Gandhi’s presence while others claimed that people were there to welcome the former Member of Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army reported an incident of unprovoked firing by armed rioters towards the village of Haraothel in Manipur. Prompt action was taken by the deployed troops to prevent further escalation. Although casualties were unconfirmed, there was an increase in the presence of large crowds in the area.
Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Manipur comes at a critical time amid the ongoing violence in the state. His two-day visit includes visits to relief camps and meetings with affected families, making him the first opposition political leader to personally assess the situation in Manipur.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi continued to maintain his stoic silence over Manipur which has garnered a lot of criticism from the opposition and the people of Manipur.