A delegation of 20 MPs belonging to opposition alliance INDIA will head to Manipur on Saturday to assess the ground situation in the violence-hit state. The two-day visit comes a month after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited relief camps and interacted with those affected by the ethnic clashes in the northeastern state.
The opposition parties have been protesting in Parliament, demanding a detailed statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a subsequent discussion on the Manipur issue. Proceedings in both Houses have been affected by the protests since the beginning of the monsoon session and the BJP accused the opposition bloc of creating tension in parliament.
The delegation will also meet Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Sunday morning, reports stated. The MPs have also sought permission to use helicopters, and if allowed, they will visit far-flung areas of Churachandpur district where fresh violence was reported, Indian Express stated. The MPs had been requesting for permission to visit the strife-torn state but were denied permission till now owing to the situation.
The Congress has also called for an inquiry under a retired Supreme Court judge into the violence in Manipur.
The ethnic violence between the Kukis and Meiteis which broke out on May 3 has killed over 160 people and injured hundreds. Earlier this month, a viral video of two women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Manipur, triggered outrage across the country, and made international headlines.
The BJP has come under sharp criticism over of its handling of the tense situation in the northeastern state and inaction towards Chief Minister Biren Singh.
The delegation
The delegation of representative of the parties in the newly-formed opposition alliance will visit relief camps to get first-hand information of the situation, and 'suggest solutions and recommendations to the government and parliament', the leaders said. According to reports, The delegation will include Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, TMC's Sushmita Dev, JMM's Mahua Maji, DMK's Kanimozhi, NCP's Mohammad Faizal, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N K Premachandran of Revolutionary Socialist Party and T Thirumavalavan of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.
JDU chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Aneel Prasad Hegde (JDU), CPI's Sandosh Kumar, CPI(M)'s AA Rahim, Samajwadi Party's Javed Ali Khan, IUML's E T Mohammed Basheer, AAP's Sushil Gupta, Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena-Uddhav Thackeray), D Ravikumar (DMK) and Phulo Devi Netam (Congress) will also be part of the delegation.
BJP warns INDIA
The BJP has warned the opposition MPs to desist from 'aggravating the situation' during their visit to violence-hit Manipur. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said he has no objection to opposition leaders visiting the violence-hit state but they should not aggravate the situation there. BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav said opposition leaders are merely doing a "drama".
"They are running away from discussing the issue in Parliament and are trying to take mileage from the situation," he said.