Rahul in Manipur today while Modi flies to Russia

New Delhi, NT Bureau: Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is all set to visit ethnic strife-ridden Manipur on Monday, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for a three-day visit to Russia and Austria.

Gandhi will be visiting victims in three relief camps, two of them in Jiribam and Churachandpur districts and another in Moirang in Bishnupur district. The Congressman will also speak to Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to discuss the issue.

The Opposition has criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance for its handling of the crisis. Modi has not visited Manipur and oppostion has been urging the him since last year to visit the state.

The attacks were renewed when President Draupadi Murmu’s address in the Lok Sabha on June 27 didn’t include Manipur. This was followed up by Gandhi and Congress MP from Inner Manipur A Bimol Akoijam on July 1 tearing into the Union government for “ignoring” the state.

Modi was forced to reply to the accusations in a speech on Rajya Sabha on July 3, claiming violence had reduced in Manipur, adding that “some people” had been using Manipur for political gains.

Manipur has been gripped by ethnic clashes between the tribal Kuki and the dominant Meitei communities since May, 2023. The violence has left 219 persons dead and displaced 60,000 people from their homes since May 3, according to figures released by the state government in February.

The visit comes in the backdrop of Gandhi’s visit to Rajkot in Gujarat on Saturday to meet with the victims of the game zone fire in the city that killed at least 33 persons. He also visited Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on Friday to meet with the families of the deceased who died in a stampede in the city that claimed 121 lives.

Also, he visited New Delhi railway station, where he met locomotive pilots where he met locomotive pilots and heard their grievances about poor working conditions. They alleged they were forced to work excessively long hours, often exceeding 14-16 hours a day, sparking a heated debate.