“Peace needs to be restored in Manipur:” Opposition delegation ahead of visit to state

New Delhi [India]: Members of the opposition’s Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance or I.N.D.I.A on Saturday said during their visit to Manipur, they will try to meet members of both the communities hit by violence that had had broken out nearly three months ago in the state.

As per members of the delegation, the “atrocities committed against women” during the ethnic violence since May 3 will “tarnish the image of the country” if immediate steps were not taken to restore peace. RJD MP Manoj Jha, who is a part of the visiting 21-member delegation said the people of the Manipur “need to be heard”.

“Manipur needs to be heard…We are trying to listen to the people of Manipur and understand their situation…We will try to listen to people from all communities. This is the only objective of our two-day visit…” Jha said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said that the BJP-led central government and Manipur government headed by Chief Minister Biren Singh should take immediate action to restore peace in the restive state.

“Manipur has been burning for the last 75 days…The atrocities against women and deaths reported in the state will only tarnish the country’s image. In such a situation the government should have taken some action…,” Sawant said.

JD(U) MP Ranjan Singh who is also a part of the delegation said that peace needs to restored in the violence-wracked state.

“We will meet the people of Manipur. The State has been burning for months now, and peace needs to be restored there. The PM is speaking on all issues but Manipur,” Singh said while speaking to media.

TMC MP Sushmita Dev, who is part of the delegation of the Opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A, visiting Manipur said they will try to meet both members of both the communities affected by violence during their two-day visit.

“We will try to meet members of both the communities. The people of Manipur need to be heard. It is the state government’s responsibility to provide security to the members of the delegation,” Dev said.

Congres MP Gaurav Gogoi said, “In the coming week, we want to keep before the Parliament what the concerns of people of Manipur…Those who used to talk about one India have created two sides in Manipur…”

The 21-member Opposition delegation from 16 parties, includes Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, K Suresh and Phulo Devi Netam of the Congress; Rajiv Ranjan Lalan Singh of the JDU; Sushmita Dev from All India Trinamool Congress; Kanimozhi from DMK; Sandosh Kumar of the CPI; AA Rahim from CPI(M), Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD; Javed Ali Khan of SP; Mahua Maji of JMM; PP Mohammed Faizal of NCP; Aneel Prasad Hegde of JDU, ET Mohammed Basheer of IUML; NK Premachandran of RSP; Sushil Gupta of AAP; Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT); D Ravikumar of VCK; Thiru Thol Thirumavalavan also of VCK; and Jayant Singh of the RLD.

As per the schedule, the delegation, split into two teams, will reach the Imphal airport on Saturday noon and will leave for Churachandpur, the epicentre of the ethnic violence in the state. The delegation will likely hold a press conference later in the day.

The Opposition members have been adamant on the demand for a discussion on Manipur and a statement in Parliament from Prime Minister Modi on the prevailing state of affairs in the state since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 20.