Rahul Gandhi in Manipur – I am here as your brother: Rahul Gandhi’s message of peace

Imphal:

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sent a message of “peace” to the people of Manipur after visiting relief camps in the violence-hit state. “I want to tell Manipur that I have come here as a brother. I want to work with you to bring peace to Manipur,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, addressing a press conference, said there was not much improvement in the situation in the state: “I was expecting some improvement in the situation, but I was disappointed not to see any marked improvement.”

Rahul Gandhi landed at Imphal airport this afternoon and visited relief camps in Jiribam and Churachandpur districts and offered support to the victims of violence.

He also called on Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey during his visit. “It is a terrible tragedy. I expressed my displeasure with the Governor as there has not been much improvement in the situation,” Mr Gandhi said.

“I don’t want to politicize the issue,” he insisted.

He will stay in Imphal this evening and hold meetings with Manipur leaders.

This was Mr Gandhi’s third visit to the state and the first after the Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress won both constituencies in the ethnic violence-hit state.

His first visit to take stock of the situation in the hill state came nearly two months after the violence, when he went to Churachandpur, one of the districts worst affected by Manipur’s ethnic conflict.

Mr Gandhi’s next visit was during the second leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress launched the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur with a promise to “bring peace and harmony” to the ethnically-torn state.

The two Lok Sabha MPs from Manipur – Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Inner Manipur) and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Outer Manipur (ST)) – and other senior party leaders including AICC general secretary KC Venugopal accompanied Rahul Gandhi.

During his visit, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) urged Mr Gandhi to find an immediate political solution to the ethnic hostilities.

People displaced by ethnic violence in the northeastern state, which has claimed more than 200 lives since May last year, are staying in these relief camps.

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