Manipur Police halted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday approximately 20 km from Imphal near Bishnupur, fearing violence along the road. Rahul Gandhi was on his way to Churachandpur after arriving in Imphal, when his convoy was stopped.
Rahul Gandhi is set to meet with those affected by the state’s ethnic conflict in Churachandpur. According to Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, cops were not allowing Rahul Gandhi’s car to move while people on the sides waved to him. “We don’t understand why they’ve stopped us,” Venugopal added.
The All Manipur Students Union issued a statement criticising the state’s successive governments ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s visit.
“The current communal crisis in Manipur is the result of political blunders committed by successive governments that have ruled Manipur over time, and the Congress has a significant role to play,” the union stated.
“In 2012, the Congress party removed four Gramme Panchayats and one Zila Parishad constituency from the Manipur Panchayati Raj system and assigned them to the Kangopi district’s autonomous district council.” It has “further enhanced Kuki nation state’s dreamland,” the students’ union declared in a statement.
“Rahul Gandhi was going to meet the victims of Manipur violence. The BJP government stopped them on the way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. The people in power have a strong hatred for peace, love and brotherhood. But they should remember… This country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love,” the Congress tweeted.
According to Congress spokesman Supriya Shrinare, Rahul Gandhi was only spreading a message of peace and love, but the BJP was terrified. “The Manipur government, which has failed to protect people and control violence in the state, has stopped Shri Rahul Gandhi’s convoy on orders from the Modi government.” What are they afraid of? Shrinate tweeted, “Rahul ji is simply carrying the message of peace, love, healing, and humanity.”
The Manipur Govt which has failed to protect people and control the violence in the state has stopped Shri Rahul Gandhi’s convoy – under instructions from the Modi govt.
What are they scared of? Rahul ji is simply carrying the message of peace, love, healing and humanity.
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) June 29, 2023
Several BJP supporters questioned Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Manipur because he is no longer an MP, while Amit Malviya of the BJP questioned why Rahul Gandhi never visited Manipur between 2015 and 2017 when there was ethnic violence. Manipur’s condition is unstable due to confrontations between the Meitei and Kuki communities.