Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will undertake a two-day visit to Manipur on June 29. This will be the first trip by a mainstream Opposition leader since the ethnic clashes broke out in the state in early May.
The visit comes amid persisting demands by the Congress seeking the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, arguing that “peace cannot be restored with him at the helm”. Opposition parties, including the Congress, have demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to Manipur.
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Rahul Gandhi will be in the state on June 29-30 during which he will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur, AICC general secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal said.
Last week, Rahul had slammed the BJP-ruled central government for convening an all-party meet on the Manipur situation at a time when the Prime Minister was not present in the country.
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According to Trinamool Congress, Opposition leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also sought permission from the Home Ministry to visit the state in the last week of May but received an acknowledgement of the letter on June 21.
The state plunged into a crisis when a solidarity march organised by tribal civil society bodies in Churachandpur turned violent on May 3. The state has witnessed multiple incidents of violence and arson, including attacks on the houses of lawmakers, since then.
The Indian Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed to bring the situation under control. Home minister Amit Shah, who undertook a visit to the north-eastern state last month, also convened an all-party meeting on the situation in the state last Sunday.