Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, is reportedly planning to visit Manipur on July 8, as per party sources. Manipur has been grappling with ethnic tensions since May 2023.
During his visit, Rahul Gandhi intends to tour relief camps and hold discussions with leaders of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee.
The Opposition has criticized the central government for its handling of the ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur, which began following clashes during a protest rally by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) on May 3 last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed efforts by the central government to restore normalcy in Manipur during his speech in the Rajya Sabha.
“The government is continuously making efforts to normalise the situation in Manipur. More than 11,000 FIRs have been registered and over 500 people have been arrested. Incidents of violence are continuously reducing in Manipur,” PM Modi said.
He additionally mentioned that both the central and state governments are engaging with all parties involved to restore peace.
“Today, schools, colleges, offices and other institutions are open in the state. The central and state governments are talking to all stakeholders to restore peace,” the Prime Minister added.
In June, Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted a comprehensive assessment of the security situation in Manipur during a high-level meeting in the national capital. He instructed measures to ensure that “no further incident of violence takes place” in the northeastern state.
During the hour-long meeting at his office in North Block, the Home Minister emphasized the strategic deployment of central forces to bring back peace and calm in Manipur. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party secured victory in both seats in the state affected by violence. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and Alfred K Arthur from Congress were sworn in as MPs in the latest Parliament session.