Shillong, June 30: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited relief camps in Moirang, Bishnupur district of Manipur on Friday, a day after being stopped by a large contingent of Manipur Police. He met with people affected by the ethnic violence and expressed solidarity with them.
Rahul Gandhi traveled to Moirang by helicopter and later returned to Imphal, where he planned to meet with like-minded party leaders, members of civil society organizations, leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC), influential women bodies, prominent citizens, and intellectuals.
During his visit on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi also visited relief camps in Imphal West District and Churachandpur, where he listened to the hardships faced by the displaced people. He even had dinner at a relief camp in Imphal.
However, when Rahul Gandhi was traveling to Bishnupur by road on Thursday, his convoy was stopped by a large police contingent led by Bishnupur SP Heisnam Balram Singh, citing law and order concerns. Tear gas shells were fired to disperse the women-led demonstrators who were demanding that Rahul Gandhi be allowed to visit the violence-affected people.
Expressing his disappointment, Rahul Gandhi tweeted that he came to listen to the people of Manipur and that peace should be the top priority for the region.
The actions of Manipur Police received condemnation from top Congress leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress leaders alleged that the police, under the instructions of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, obstructed Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Bishnupur district.
