A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped by Manipur police fearing violence, he reached Moirang in Manipur, and interacted with affected people in relief camps. Later, he will meet 10 like-minded party leaders, United Naga Council (UNC) leaders and civil society organisation members in Imphal.
Rahul Gandhi met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, where he asserted, "I'm ready to do whatever is needed for peace. I am appealing to everybody to maintain peace, violence can never be the way out." Congress officials shared that the governor assured them that steps are being taken to restore peace in the state.
After his visit to relief camps, Rahul Gandhi said that complaints regarding basic amentities have come to the fore. "One of the things I would say to the government is that the basic amenities at the camps need to be improved. Food needs to be improved. Medicines need to be supplied. Such complaints have come from the camps,” Gandhi told newspersons.
Rahul Gandhi took a chopper to Churachandpur to visit relief camps on Thursday after his convoy was stopped by the police in Bishnupur area. Hitting out at the BJP-led state government, he said that he had come to listen to the brothers and sisters of Manipur but was being stopped from doing so.
"I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," Gandhi said on Twitter after meeting some victims of the violence at a relief camp.
Nearly 120 people have died and more than 3,000 injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3.
Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
