Was Centre sleeping as Manipur burned, asks opposition team on visit | India News – Times of India
“They are talking of an investigation by CBI. I would like to ask, were they sleeping till now?” said Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after the group visited relief camps and interacted with people who have lost their homes in the ethnic strife. “It is clear they are extremely scared. They do not want to talk to anyone. They know that this government is not going to provide any help to them.”
The delegation assured the affected people that they were working towards bringing about positive change.
The opposition delegation visiting Manipur hit out at the government for questioning its motives and alleging that the opposition was not visiting Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh.
“I pray to god it doesn’t happen, but if such a situation takes place, we will go there as well. But today, at this statement, I would only say ‘get well soon’. You are sick people…I leave it to PM Modi’s conscience to speak up and appeal for peace,” said RJD MP Manoj Jha.
Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said the objective of the 21 MPs on a two-day visit to Manipur was to understand the problem. “The clashes have damaged the image of Manipur, the northeast and India as a whole. We all have to try for a peaceful solution. We are here not to do any politics,” he said. The delegation expressed concern over the violence and slammed the Centre for not sending its own delegation to the state.
“We met several people in the relief camps and listened to their problems. This is our small step in the direction of psychological healing,” said Jha.
The INDIA delegation, including Congress’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, split into two groups, with Chowdhury leading one to relief camps at the boys’ hostel of Churachandpur college, and Gogoi leading the other to the relief camp at Don Bosco School at Churachandpur. Gogoi expressed the delegation’s commitment to spreading the message of peace and criticised the absence of an all-party delegation led by PM Modi.
“The NDA is completely missing from the scene, but INDIA is present. INDIA stands with the people of Manipur. We will do everything possible to bring peace to the state,” he said.
After returning to Imphal, the team led by Chowdhury visited a relief camp at Moirang College in Bishnupur district, while the other team went to the Ideal Girl’s College relief camp at Akampat in Imphal East district and later another camp at Lamboikhongangkhong in Imphal West. The delegation is scheduled to meet governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan on Sunday to discuss the situation.
