© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi brought up the ongoing conflict in Manipur during his three-day visit to poll-bound Mizoram that began Monday. Gandhi, who participated in a march in the capital city of Aizawl, targeted both the BJP, blaming it for the violence in Manipur, and the Mizo National Front (MNF) for being a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The Manipur crisis has been closely monitored in Mizoram as the Mizos share an ethnic bond with the Kuki-Zomis who are in conflict with the Meitei community in the neighbouring state. Thousands of displaced people have sought shelter in Mizoram.
The Congress has billed his visit as an extension of its Bharat Jodo Yatra and on Monday Rahul and a large group of Congress workers walked around two kilometres in Aizawl before he addressed them.
“Some months ago, I went to Manipur and I could not believe what I saw. The idea of Manipur has been destroyed by the BJP. It is no longer a state, it is now two states. People have been murdered, women have been molested, and babies have been killed. But the PM doesn’t find it important to travel there. It is amazing to me that the PM and the government of India are so interested in what’s happening in Israel but not at all interested in what’s happening in Manipur…. It is something to be ashamed of that the leader of our Union has not travelled to the state after what has happened there,” said the Congress MP.
He added, “And Manipur is just a symptom of the problem. You can see the same problem in a smaller form in many different parts of the nation. People from minority communities, tribal people, and Dalit people are feeling uncomfortable. There is an oppression being carried out on the people of India.”
Rahul also took aim at the MNF’s governance record. “I would like you to consider what the government has done over the last five years. Drugs are spreading rampantly across the future generation, 250 young lives have been extinguished because of this. And while the BJP attacks your culture, your religion, your tradition, the MNF supports them in Delhi … Over the last five years, the MNF government has created only 2,000 jobs. Your infrastructure here, your roads here are in shambles and they are destroying the economic future of the state.”
After elaborating on welfare schemes in Congress-ruled states such as Karnataka and Rajasthan, the Wayanad MP said respecting and preserving local culture were the Congress’s biggest priorities in Mizoram.
“We will defend your culture, your religion, and your traditions. For us, it is more important than anything else because if Mizo culture is attacked and destroyed, if Mizo tradition, language and religion are attacked and destroyed, India is attacked and destroyed. We love your diversity, we love your perspective, we love your way of looking at the world and life,” he said.
The Congress, meanwhile, on Monday released a list of 39 candidates for the 40 Assembly constituencies in the state, which goes to polls on November 7. The party is looking to bounce back from 2018 when it won only five seats. State Congress president Lalsawta will contest from the Aizawl West III constituency. The Congress has also fielded former Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo from Aizawl North I. In 2018, he was the Principal Secretary (Home) and was transferred by the Election Commission’s order after the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) complained of “direct interference” by the home department in the preparation for the elections. The CEO alleged insensitivity by the state government regarding the voting rights of Bru refugees living in Tripura.
