The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi), a conglomerate of leading civil society organisations (CSO) in Manipur, said the two-day visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the strife-torn state starting on Thursday was a “good sign even if it is a bit late”.
The organisation also said it would “share” its concerns and suggestions with “one of the main politicians” of the country if invited to an interaction with him.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) working president K. Devabrata Singh told The Telegraph that Rahul would visit Imphal, Churachandpur and Moirang and interact with relief camp residents and civil society organisations’ representatives.
Reacting to Rahul’s visit, Cocomi assistant coordinator Longjam Ratankumar Singh told this newspaper: “It is a good sign even if it is a bit late. He is one of the main politicians of our nation. If any politician or any political party is ready to take part in finding a solution or any way of managing this conflict, Cocomi is ready to share our concerns and suggestions with thosepolitical parties or politicians.”
By referring to the visit as “a bit late”, Ratankumar was trying to convey that it has come nearly two months after the state was engulfed in ethnic clashes that have left at least 131 dead and 60,000 displaced since May 3. The situation remains tense.
However, Devabrata said Rahul “wanted” to visit the state in the second week of May, but was “not” allowed on security grounds.
He added: “This visit has got necessary security clearance from the government, including visits to 8 to 10 relief camps. It is the first visit by an important Opposition leader and we see a ray of hope in his arrival. His message will bring peace sooner than it is expected as he will be trying to bridge the gap between the communities.”
There is “unhappiness” among people of the state over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued silence on the Manipur situation. Rahul’s visit is bound to put the glare back on Modi’s silence, sources said.
Rahul’s last visit to Manipur was on February 21, 2022, in the run-up to the Assembly elections which the Congress lost miserably. The BJP had managed a majority on itsown in the 60-member Assembly.
A leader of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of recognised tribes in the Kuki-Zo majority, said they would meet the former Congress president with victims’ families in Churachandpur on Thursday.
The Kuki-Zo organisations and leaders hold the incumbent chief minister, N. Biren Singh, responsible for the unrest, while Meitei organisations and leaders blame Kuki militants under suspension of operations and narco-terrorists for the unprecedented crisis.
