In order to meet with Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, a delegation of opposition leaders from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) arrived at Raj Bhawan on Sunday. The grand opposition alliance’s 21-member delegation arrived on Saturday for a two-day visit to the state, which has been the scene of ethnic conflict and violence since May 4. A memorandum will be given to the governor of Manipur during the meeting, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, who is a member of the visiting delegation, said in an interview with on Sunday.
“We are going to request the Governor to restore peace to the state. We will also hand over a memorandum to the Governor,”.
Also speaking to ANI ahead of the visit to Raj Bhawan, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev said the situation in Manipur was grave.
“The situation here is grave and the same is being widely reported in the media. We want to present a joint memorandum to the Governor and urge him to restore peace at the earliest. We will also request the Governor to brief PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the prevailing situation in the state,” she said.
The Opposition delegation stated earlier on Saturday that during its two-day visit to the state, it hopes to promote “psychological healing” for the populace. After touring four relief facilities housing locals displaced by the ethnic violence, the delegation members stated at a press conference that they were prepared to speak with the Center and offer suggestions and counsel to restore peace.
Coming down heavily on the BJP-led Centre for not sending a similar team to the strife-torn state, the Opposition leaders said they happily join Prime Minister Narendra Modi, if he visits the state with an all-party delegation.
However, the BJP hit out at the delegation saying the Centre was ready for a discussion on Manipur in Parliament but the Opposition is “running away”.
Flanked by fellow members of the delegation on Saturday evening, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, “We have always said that if the Prime Minister wants to lead an all-party delegation here, we would be happy to be a part of it. After all, we all want peace to return to Manipur at the earliest.”
The BJP, however, termed the Opposition’s Manipur visit as a “show off’ and “political tourism”.