Strife-torn Manipur’s BJP chief minister, N. Biren Singh, on Saturday dismissed as inconsequential the proposed launch of the Congress’s Bharat Nyay Yatra, to be led by Rahul Gandhi, from the northeastern state.
“Rahulji, his coming or not coming, (makes) no difference here,” the two-time chief minister said during a media briefing on the launch of six welfare schemes of his government.
He added: “Aane do, kya hai (Let him come, what’s the big deal)? But people will not support because whatever is there (happening) today is because of them (the Congress).”
Manipur has been in turmoil since May 3, with violence between the mostly Hindu Meiteis and mostly Christian Kuki-Zo having killed at least 195 people and displacing over 67,000. Biren’s government has been accused of utter failure to contain the unrest, and of siding with the majority Meiteis.
Rahul’s two-day visit to the state in June to “listen to all my brothers and sisters” had been welcomed by both warring sides. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to visit the state since the unrest began.
The Congress’s central leadership had on Wednesday announced that the Yatra would start from Imphal and cover 14 states and 6,200km before concluding in Maharashtra. The Yatra comes just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and will pass through four northeastern states, including Nagaland, Assam and Meghalaya, which were not part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra of 2022-23.
Congress leader K.C. Venugopal had on Wednesday said that Imphal had been chosen for the launch because the party wanted to lend a healing touch to the state’s people.
On Saturday, a Meitei village volunteer in Imphal West was shot dead. There was fresh firing between security forces and a mob in Moreh, Tengnoupal district, fuelling fresh tension.
Manipur dole
Biren Singh on Saturday announced the BJP-led state government’s decision to provide a financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh in four instalments to every family displaced in the ongoing unrest from January.
During a media briefing on the launch of six welfare schemes at the CM’s Secretariat in Imphal on Saturday, the two-time chief minister said: “The state government would provide financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to every family displaced due to the unprecedented conflict in the state. The financial support would be provided from January in four installments of Rs 25,000 each.”
