LIVE | Rahul meets people at relief camp in Churachandpur
Hours ahead of relief, unidentified gunmen open fire in Jiribam district's Gularthal area
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited violence-hit Manipur on Monday (July 8). He is on a day-long visit to the Northeast.
At Jiribam, Manipur, Rahul met internally displaced people from the Meitei community members staying at a relief camp.
En route to Manipur, he was in Assam, where he visited relief camps with displaced Kuki-Zo members and met flood-affected people.
3.5 hours of gunfight
A few hours before his visit, unidentified gunmen opened fire in the district's Gularthal area.
“Gunmen fired several rounds around 3.30 am towards the Meitei area of Gularthal, prompting security forces to retaliate. The exchange of fire continued till 7 am,” an official said. Security personnel have been deployed in the surrounding areas as a preventive measure.
One bulletproof vehicle of the state police also was hit by gunshots during the attack, the official said.
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Live Updates
- 8 July 2024 5:07 PM IST
Rahul visits relief camps in Jiribam
Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited relief camps in Manipur's Jiribam and Churachandpur districts and interacted with the inmates.
People displaced by the ethnic violence in the northeastern state, which claimed over 200 lives since May last year, are staying in those relief camps.
Rahul, who is accompanied by senior Congress leaders, is visiting Manipur for the first time after the Congress won both Lok Sabha seats in the state. "His third visit to Manipur post-violence shows his unwavering commitment to the people's cause," the Congress said in a post on X.
The former Congress president first visited a relief camp set up at Jiribam Higher Secondary School.
State Congress president Keisham Meghachandra told reporters that the inmates at Jiribam told Gandhi about the experiences they went through.
"He also enquired about what they need. One girl told Gandhi that neither the Prime Minister nor the chief minister had come to visit them. She also urged Gandhi to place the matter in Parliament," Meghachandra said.
People came out in thousands to greet Gandhi in Jiribam and many of them wept while talking to him, the state Congress president said.
From Jiribam, Gandhi came to Imphal airport via Silchar in Assam and reached by road a relief camp in Tuibong village in Churachandpur district.
There also he interacted with inmates.
"Rahl Gandhi's visit aims at providing support to people and to assess the situation on the ground. His visit reflects the party's commitment to address the concerns of those affected by the recent violence," Meghachandra said.
He is also scheduled to call on Governor Anusuiya Uikey in Imphal before returning.
Ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities since May last year claimed more than 200 lives in Manipur.
- 8 July 2024 3:38 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi visits relief camps in Churachandpur
Rahul interacted with inmates at a relief camp in Manipur's Churachandpur district.
People displaced by the ethnic violence in the northeastern state are staying in those relief camps.
The Congress leader who is accompanied by senior Congress leaders talked to the people staying in the relief camps and listened to their problems.
"Rahul Gandhi's visit aims at providing support to people and to assess the situation on the ground. His visit reflects the party's commitment to address the concerns of those affected by the recent violence," state Congres president Keisham Meghachandra told reporters.
- 8 July 2024 2:56 PM IST
#WATCH | Congress MP Rahul Gandhi meets people at a relief camp at Mandap, Tuibong in Manipur's Churachandpur pic.twitter.com/7bYJbasinn
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2024 - 8 July 2024 2:51 PM IST
Rahul leaves for Churachandpur
Rahul has left for Churachandpur by road. He is slated to visit relief camps in Churachandpur where people displaced by the ethnic violence are staying.
He is being accompanied by state Congress president Keisham Meghachandra and CLP leader O Ibobi Singh.
"Rahul Gandhi's visit aims at providing support to people and to assess the situation on the ground. His visit reflects the party's commitment to address the concerns of those affected by the recent violence," Meghachandra told reporters.
- 8 July 2024 12:15 PM IST
Assam needs a comprehensive and compassionate vision: Rahul
Rahul Gandhi tweeted:
"The extreme devastation caused by flooding in Assam is heartbreaking - with innocent children like 8-year old Avinash being taken away from us.
My heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families across the State.
Assam Congress leaders apprised me of the situation on ground:
60+ deaths
53,000+ displaced
24,00,000 affected
"Assam needs a comprehensive and compassionate vision- proper relief, rehabilitation, and compensation in the short term, and a pan-Northeast water management authority to do everything necessary to control floods in the long term."
The extreme devastation caused by flooding in Assam is heartbreaking - with innocent children like 8-year old Avinash being taken away from us.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 8, 2024
My heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families across the State.
Assam Congress leaders apprised me of the situation on… pic.twitter.com/Nbx356QPEF - 8 July 2024 11:59 AM IST
Rahul visits visit Ṭhalai relief camp
Rahul Gandhi visits Ṭhalai In (IDP Relief Camp) at Hmarkhawlien, Cachar, Assam.
