Rahul says Cong, INDIA bloc will put pressure on Centre to end Manipur tragedy

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (July 11) asserted that his party and the INDIA coalition will raise the need for peace in Manipur in full force in Parliament to goad the government into initiating steps to restore normalcy in the strife-torn state.

Rahul, also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who recently visited Manipur, also reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Manipur and appeal for peace.

‘Innocent lives in danger, people living in relief camps’

Rahul made the remarks in a post in Hindi on X as he shared a video of his interactions with the people of Manipur during his day-long visit to the restive state on Monday (July 8).

"I have visited Manipur three times since violence broke out there, but unfortunately there is no improvement in the situation – even today the state is divided into two parts. Houses are burning, innocent lives are in danger and thousands of families are forced to live in relief camps," the former Congress chief said.

He urged the prime minister to personally visit Manipur and listen to the problems of the people of the state and appeal for peace.

“The Congress party and INDIA bloc will raise the need for peace in Manipur with full force in Parliament to put pressure on the government to end this tragedy," the Congress leader said.

During his stay in Manipur, Rahul had visited three relief camps in different districts of the BJP-ruled state and interacted with people belonging to both the warring ethnic groups – Meiteis and Kukis – who were displaced by the violence.

The Congress leader had also visited Manipur weeks after ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state on May 3 last year. He also began his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' from the state in January 2024.

Video on Manipur

In the video, Rahul is seen interacting with people at various relief camps. The people narrate to him their plight and fears and urge him to fight for them and raise their voice.

The Congress leader is seen in the video telling the people that his party and its MPs had raised the problems the people of Manipur were facing in the Parliament session that has just gone by and promised to raise the issues again in the upcoming session.

"We can put pressure (on the government) and we will put pressure on them," he says to the people.

"I can help you, I can raise the issue and put pressure but I can't reassure you when you will be able to go back to your homes because the government has the answer to this. You will see in the next session, I will raise your voice," Rahul is seen telling people at a relief camp in Manipur.

When will the PM speak?: Priyanka

Tagging Rahul’s over five-minute video, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "It has been more than a year since Manipur became unstable. The people there are facing violence, murder, riots and displacement. Thousands of innocent people are forced to live in relief camps." "After all, when will the Prime Minister speak on Manipur? ...Why did the government not make efforts for peace in Manipur?" she said.

Parliament's Budget Session will be held between July 22 and August 12. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget on July 23.

Manipur plunged into violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May last year. Since then, some 200 people have been killed while thousands have been displaced following large-scale arson that gutted homes and government buildings.

(With inputs from agencies)