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Rahul's Visit To Manipur Nothing But Media Hype: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur is nothing but media hype and at this point in time, no one should try to take political mileage from the northeastern state's "tragic" situation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

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Rahul's Visit To Manipur Nothing But Media Hype: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur is nothing but media hype and at this point in time, no one should try to take political mileage from the northeastern state's "tragic" situation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

He also said the state and central governments are handling the Manipur situation and such daylong visits, such as Gandhi's, will not have any positive outcome.

"He (Gandhi) is visiting Manipur just for a day. It is nothing but media hype. Had there been positive results from the visit, it would have been a different matter, but there will be no outcome from such a visit," Sarma told reporters here.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said Manipur is facing a "tragic situation" and no one should attempt to take advantage out of it.

Ethnic strife-torn Manipur witnessed high drama on Thursday over Gandhi's visit to relief camps in Churachandpur after the former Congress chief's convoy was stopped by police midway and he had to take a helicopter to reach his destination.

The blocking of Gandhi's convoy triggered a political slugfest as the Congress alleged that the BJP-led government is trying to thwart his visit, while the saffron party accused him of being stubborn and choosing to take the road trip even though he was advised to take a chopper as his visit was opposed in various quarters.

- With PTI Input