Union Home Minister Amit Shah is all set to chair an all-party meeting on Saturday in the national capital to discuss the situation in the violence-hit Manipur. The meeting will commence at 3 pm. Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar will not be attending this meeting due to some prior commitments, however, two of his party leaders viz. NCP General Secretary Narendra Verma and Manipur NCP Chief Soran Iboyaima Singh will be attending the meeting in his place, as per a party statement.
Manipur continues to witness incidents of violence since May 3. Following the recent events, the state government extended the ban on internet services till Sunday in an attempt to prevent any further disturbance to peace.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence has "left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation" and has affected the lives of people in Manipur. She appealed for peace and harmony in the state. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the timing of the all-party meeting to discuss the prevailing situation in Manipur in the wake of ethnic violence and clashes, by saying that it is being organised when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a State visit to the United States, which shows that the meeting isn't important to him.
Gandhi tweeted, "Manipur has been burning for 50 days, but the Prime Minister remained silent. An all-party meeting was called when the Prime Minister himself is not in the country! Clearly, this meeting is not important for the Prime Minister."
Violence gripped the state on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally which was organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.