Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit violence-hit Manipur on June 29

Rahul will be in Manipur on June 29 and 30 during which he will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur, AICC general secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal said.

Rahul Gandhi to visit Manipur on June 29

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visits a motorcycle mechanics' workshop in Delhi's Karol Bagh on Tuesday. (PTI)

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Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will undertake a two-day visit to Manipur later this week, the first such trip by a mainstream Opposition leader since ethnic clashes broke out in the state nearly two months ago claiming over 100 lives and displacing thousands of people.

The Congress has been scathing in its criticism of the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in Manipur, over their handling of the violence. The party has already demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, arguing that “peace cannot be restored with him at the helm”.

Sh. @RahulGandhi ji will be visiting Manipur on 29-30 June. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit.

Manipur has been burning for nearly two months, and desperately needs a healing touch so that the…

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) June 27, 2023

Rahul will be in Manipur on June 29 and 30 during which he will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur, AICC general secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal said.

Sources said Rahul has not sought any permission from the Union Home Ministry as there is no travel ban to the state. At the all-party meeting convened by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, the Congress had demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to the state.

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“Manipur has been burning for nearly two months, it needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace. This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate,” Venugopal said.

Rahul will be the first Opposition political leader to visit Manipur amid the ongoing violence. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had sought permission from the Home Ministry to visit the state in the last week of May but there was no response.

According to the Trinamool Congress, Banerjee had written to Home Minister Amit Shah on May 29, “requesting permission to travel to Manipur for a one-day visit”. According to the TMC, Banerjee’s office received an acknowledgment of her letter from the Home Minister on June 21.

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