CHURACHANDPUR, July 29 (PTI): As a delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) reached Manipur’s capital on Saturday to assess the ground situation in the ethnic strife-torn state, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the conflict in the northeastern state was sullying India’s image, and all parties must try and find a peaceful solution to end it.
On the first day of their two-day whirlwind tour, the MPs visited several relief camps in Imphal, Moirang in Bishnupur district and Churachandpur and met victims of ethnic clashes.
“We have come here to meet victims of ethnic clashes and understand the problem. We want the end of violence and the restoration of peace at the earliest…the entire world is watching what is going on in Manipur,” Chowdhury told PTI.
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He also said, “The ethnic clashes have damaged the image of Manipur, the northeast region and India as a whole. We all have to try for a peaceful solution. We are here not to do any politics.”
A team of the opposition bloc INDIA visited the riot-hit town of Churachandpur in Manipur where they met Kuki leaders and members of the civil society besides ethnic strife victims in the relief camps where they were lodged.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters after visiting a relief camp, “They are talking of investigation by CBI (into the crimes committed)… I would like to ask, “Were they (the central government) sleeping till now?”
TMC leader Sushmita Dev said the team will speak with representatives of both the communities.
“Everyone’s voice must be heard. We will be talking to both Kukis and Meiteis,” she said.
A delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition bloc INDIA reached Imphal earlier in the day and then teams from the delegation flew to Churachandpur in two helicopter flights.
The team led by Chowdhury visited a relief camp set up at the Boys Hostel of Churachandpur College.
Another team, comprising Congress’ deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and others, went to a relief camp at Don Bosco School in Churachandpur.
“We are here to spread the message of peace,” Gogoi said.
After returning to Imphal, the team led by Chowdhury will visit a relief camp at Moirang College in Bishnupur district by road to meet victims from the Meitei community.
The other team of opposition MPs will go to the Ideal Girl’s College relief camp at Akampat in Imphal East district and will visit another camp at Lamboikhongangkhong in Imphal West.
On Sunday morning, the delegation of opposition MPs will meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhawan here to discuss the ongoing situation and possible measures to bring peace in Manipur at the earliest.
The team is scheduled to return to the national capital on Sunday afternoon.
Ahead of the visit, Gogoi had, in Delhi, called for an inquiry led by a retired Supreme Court judge into the ongoing ethnic clashes between the two communities in Manipur.
Besides Chowdhury and Gogoi, the delegation will include TMC’s Sushmita Dev, JMM’s Mahua Maji, DMK’s Kanimozhi, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N K Premachandran of RSP, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Aneel Prasad Hegde (JD-U), CPI’s P Sandosh Kumar and CPI(M)’s A A Rahim among others.
More than 160 people lost their lives and many people were injured since ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
