On Thursday, June 29, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi began his two-day visit to the violence-stricken northeastern state of Manipur. During his visit to Bishnupur, Gandhi’s convoy was blocked by the state police, 20 KM from Imphal, because the Manipur police feared violence along the route. At the time when his convoy was blocked, Rahul Gandhi was enroute to Churachandpur, in order to meet the people in the relief camps set up there, who have been displaced by the ethnic clashes in the state.
Bishnupur SP, Heisnam Balram, said, “Seeing the ground situation, we stopped Rahul Gandhi from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which VIP Rahul Gandhi is moving. Keeping his security and safety in mind, we did not allow him”.
Despite this move taking place because of security concerns, the Congress started questioning the Manipur government, and this led to a verbal banter between the Congress and the BJP.
Manipur Congress President, K Meghachandra, said, “People are standing on the roads to welcome Rahul Gandhi but Bishnupur SP, ASP, ADM, and other police officials are blocking the roads. I have heard that there were instructions given by Manipur CM to block the roads. They are politicizing this. They are only saying that the law-and-order situation is not good and are not allowing us to move ahead”.
Taking to Twitter, the Congress further attacked the BJP, and said, “Rahul Gandhi was going to meet the victims of Manipur violence. The BJP government stopped them on the way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. The people in power have a strong hatred for peace, love, and brotherhood. But they should remember, this country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love”.
In no time, reacting to the remarks made by the Congress, the BJP hit back, and the party’s spokesperson, Sambit Patra, said, “It is sad that Rahul Gandhi has gone to Manipur with stubbornness, which is not right. He should have been aware of the ground realities before going there. Sensitivity is far more important than stubbornness. We are a democratic country”.
“Rahul Gandhi wanted to go to Manipur and nobody stopped him. The local administration requested him citing protests surrounding his visit. The situation in Manipur today is due to legacy issues, largely due to Congress. I don’t want to go into the issues because of the sensitivity attached to them”, added Patra.
