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On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has made the Manipur issue one of the central themes of his attack on the Modi government, made his third visit to the strife-torn state to meet victims of violence staying in relief camps.With Modi, who is yet to visit the state, on a two-day trip to Russia, the Congress was quick to once again attack the Prime Minister for ignoring the plight of Manipur.
“Today, the non-biological PM goes to Moscow while the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha heads for Assam and Manipur. Of course, the drumbeaters of the non-biological PM have claimed that he stopped the Russia-Ukraine war for some time. Presumably, this Moscow trip will lead to even more bizarre claims,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X.
“The non-biological PM has not found the time nor even had the inclination to visit Manipur even for a few hours after the grave crisis erupted on May 3rd, 2023. He has not even met the CM of the state – who happens to be from his own party – and other political leaders of the state including MLAs and MPs,” the Congress leader added targeting the Prime Minister.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined in the attack. In a post on X she shared, “Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi ji today met the victims of violence in Manipur and consoled and encouraged them. Manipur has been in the grip of violence for more than a year. Hundreds of people have lost their lives. Thousands of people are living in relief camps. But the BJP government at the Centre has neither taken any positive initiative to restore peace nor has the Prime Minister visited Manipur.”
After his day-long visit, Rahul expressed disappointment over Centre’s efforts to help the people of Manipur and once again urged the Prime Minister to visit the state. “I was expecting some improvement in the situation but I was disappointed to see that the situation is still nowhere near what it should be. I visited the camps and heard the people there, heard their pain. I came here to listen to them, to build confidence in them and as somebody who is in the opposition, to try and apply pressure on the govt so that it acts,” Rahul said.
Congress’s Manipur attacks
The Congress has been relentless in its attack against the Prime Minister for not visiting Manipur in the last 14 months. In the just-conluded Parliament session, PM Modi had to brave opposition sloganeering over Manipur right through his speech in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. While the Prime Minister did not mention Manipur in his speech in Lok Sabha, in Rajya Sabha he slammed the opposition for politicising the issue.
“We are continuously trying to maintain peace and stability in Manipur. More than 11,000 FIRs have been registered, and more than 500 people have been arrested in Manipur, which is a very small state. Now, the incidents of violence are coming down. This means peace is possible,” PM Modi had said replying to the Motion of Thanks on President’s Address in Rajya Sabha.
“Both Central and state governments are actively working to resolve regional issues with patience and peace. Union home minister Amit Shah visited Manipur and stayed for weeks there, engaging with relevant stakeholders,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also attacked the Congress for imposing President’s Rule in the state ten times during their tenure and also recalled the spate of violence in 1993 that lasted for about five years. The Prime Minister was responding to Rahul’s allegations that the BJP-led NDA government had pushed Manipur into a civil war.
Rahul’s first visit to the state as leader of opposition may set the stage for another round of Parliament confrontation over the issue in the Budget session that starts from July 22.
Why Congress has been aggressive on Manipur?
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have offered a glimmer of hope for the Congress in the northeast. The Congress wrested two seats in Manipur, one seat each in Nagaland and Meghalaya from the BJP and its allies, besides winning three seats in Assam.
The grand old party which was once a dominant player in the region has been almost wiped out by the BJP and its allies in the last 10 years. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA won 19 out of 25 seats in the region while the Congress managed only 4. The Congress would want to build on this small window of hope to revive its influence in the region.
Rahul’s Nyay Yatra
The Congress had kept its focus on Manipur in the run up to Lok Sabha campaign also. In January, Rahul Gandhi had launched his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Thoubal in Manipur. The Congress leader then said that Manipur was an example of BJP’s “politics of hatred” and alleged “Maybe for Narendra Modi, BJP and RSS, Manipur is not part of India”.
RSS boost to Congress attack
The opposition got a boost on Manipur issue post elections when RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern over peace eluding the state even after one year. Addressing a gathering of RSS trainees Bhagwat said, “Manipur is waiting for peace for the last one year. There was peace in Manipur 10 years ago. It felt like gun culture had finished there. But the state has suddenly seen violence.”
“The situation in Manipur will have to be considered with priority. There is need to get over election rhetoric and focus on problems facing the nation,” the RSS chief asserted. The unrest either got triggered or was triggered, but Manipur is burning and people are facing its extreme heat,” the RSS chief added.
The Congress was quick to harp on Bhagwat’s remarks and took a swipe at PM Modi. “Perhaps Bhagwat can prevail upon the “former RSS office-bearer” to go to the northeastern state,” the party said in its reaction to the remarks made by RSS chief.
‘He is trying to politicize issue’
Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad criticized Rahul for visiting Manipur and said he is trying to politicize the issue. “Manipur is a sensitive issue. Everyone should make efforts to bring peace there. Rahul Gandhi is politicizing this issue. Lok Sabha elections are over. Manipur needs ointments. There is a need to minimize the distance between the two communities,” the BJP leader said.
(With inputs from agencies)
