New Delhi: After his convoy was stopped by the Manipur police from visiting Churachandpur by road, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi headed back to Imphal and reached his destination on a chopper Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi — who is on a two-day visit to violence hit Manipur — was stopped before he could visit a relief camp, prompting angry comments from his party which called the state’s BJP government autocratic.
Gandhi’s cavalcade was stopped by the police in Bishnupur, 20 kilometres out of Imphal, as it was on its way to a relief camp in Churachandpur where the leader was supposed to meet affected families.
Soon after, party general secretary K.C. Venugopal said they were at a loss to understand why the convoy had been stopped. “Police say they are not in a position to allow us… Rahul Gandhi’s visit is to meet the affected people only. We travelled around 20 to 25 km but there was no road blockage anywhere,” he said, wondering who could have instructed the local police to stop Gandhi.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the BJP had shattered democratic and constitutional norms by not allowing Gandhi to visit Churachandpur.
“Shri Rahul Gandhi’s convoy in Manipur has been stopped by the police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself,” Kharge said.
“Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi,” he added.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told the media in Delhi that Gandhi had been stubborn and that such visits must be approached with sensitivity.
“Rahul Gandhi wanted to go to Manipur… no one stopped him. The administration made a request. They said that since Rahul’s visit was announced, there were many protests across the state. There are many legacy issues in Manipur… behind which Congress has played a big role,” Patra said.
He also tweeted that Gandhi was asked by the local administration to go to Churachandpur by helicopter, but his team had refused.
“Rahul Gandhi’s Manipur visit was vehemently opposed by many civil society organisations & student unions in Manipur. Keeping this in mind the administration requested Rahul Gandhi to take a helicopter to Churachandpur, rather than the road route, since various groups were protesting against his visit. Rahul was stubborn to take the road route,” he said.
“The chopper ticket costs only Rs 2500,” Patra added.
Bishnupur Superintendent of Police Heisnam Balram Singh said his force stopped Gandhi “seeing the ground situation”. “We advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There was a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway which Gandhi took. Keeping his security and safety in mind, we did not allow him to move forward.”
Gandhi, after visiting relief camps in Churachandpur, tweeted that Manipur needs “healing”.
“I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It’s very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority”, he tweeted.
I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur.
People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It’s very unfortunate that the government is stopping me.
Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority. pic.twitter.com/WXsnOxFLIa
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 29, 2023
After his visit to Churachandpur, Gandhi was supposed to visit Moirang. However, Manipur Congress President Keisham Meghachandra said Gandhi was denied permission.
“Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Moirang has been cancelled. The administration did not permit him to come to Moirang- neither by road nor by air. He could meet the violence-affected people only in Churachandpur. He is returning to Imphal and will stay the night there. There is no clarity on if he will be able to continue with his scheduled visit for tomorrow,” Meghachandra told reporters in Churachandpur.
Clashes broke out in Manipur on 3 May after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Two months since then, violent clashes have laid bare ethnic fault-lines between the hill-based Kukis and the valley-based Meiteis. More than 110 people have lost their lives, and around 50,000 driven out of their homes. They are staying in nearly 300 relief camps across the state.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi lands in violence-hit Manipur, ‘PM should learn from him,’ says Congress