People Living In 'Appalling Condition,' Oppn MPs Visit Manipur Relief Camps. Tribals Demand Prez Rule: Top Points

The Opposition delegation went to four relief camps, two in Churachandpur, one in Imphal and one in Moirang on Saturday, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and DMK's Kanimozhi addressing the media on Saturday after the Opposition MPs of the INDIA bloc visited relief camps in Manipur.

Source : ANI

New Delhi: A delegation of 20 MPs from the Opposition bloc INDIA, who are one a two-day visit to violence-hit Manipur, went to four relief camps, two in Churachandpur, one in Imphal and one in Moirang, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said on Saturday. Addressing the media, Gogoi said the leaders came to the strife-torn northeast state to take stock of the ground situation, understand the expectations of the people and convey the same in the Parliament.

“We feel that Parliament should have a discussion on the situation in Manipur and I too think there has been much delay on the matter. The government has to give a roadmap and we all want to listen to the government's plan and give our suggestions,” Gogoi said.

Manipur | Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says "We feel that Parliament should have a discussion on this and I think too much delay has happened. The Govt has to give a roadmap and we all want to listen to the government's plan and give our suggestions" pic.twitter.com/ducmdjXrWW

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2023

“I.N.D.I.A alliance is the only delegation which has continuously visited Manipur. We have always said that if the Prime Minister wants to lead an all-party delegation, we would be happy to be a part of it. In the end, we want peace to be established. Political parties from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu went to have a dialogue with the people and we want their concerns to be presented in Parliament,” Gogoi added.

Here are the key updates:

• Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the ethnic clashes in Manipur was tarnishing the image of India and all the parties need to try and find a peaceful solution to end it. “I want to appeal to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh to meet the people living in these relief camps. The situation on the ground shows that common people are facing a lot of difficulties. We will all have to work for them,” Chowdhury told ANI.
• “What has stood out to all of us in every single relief camp is the number of women and children in these camps,” TMC leader Sushmita Dev, a part of the Opposition delegation, said.

VIDEO | “What has stood out to all of us in every single relief camp is the number of women and children in these camps,” says TMC leader Sushmita Dev, a member of INDIA alliance delegation that is on a two-day Manipur visit. pic.twitter.com/g3EmwNIXWq

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 29, 2023

• Speaking about the condition of the shelter homes, DMK leader Kanimozhi said the people are living in the relief camps in "appalling conditions" and the food being distributed is also not adequate.

VIDEO | “Even the (relief) camps are not in good condition as basic facilities are not there. Even the food being distributed is not enough,” says DMK leader Kanimozhi, a member of INDIA alliance delegation that is on a two-day Manipur visit. pic.twitter.com/n5MJ4CDcc8

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 29, 2023

• Meanwhile, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur termed the Opposition members’ visit to Manipur a "mere show-off". “When Manipur used to remain shut for months, they had not spoken a word,” PTI quoted Thakur as saying.
• “The Opposition have the right to go anywhere. The Parliament session is going on and the government is ready for discussion. Then why are they running away? For the last seven days, they haven't allowed the Parliament to function,” BJP leader Sushil Modi
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called for peace and said the incidents that the state has witnessed are “painful”. “I have been pained by whatever inhumane incidents have happened in the recent past. We are all hurt by them. The whole society, states and the entire country should tread the path of peace. We should all make efforts for the restoration of peace,” he said, as reported by PTI.
• The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) wrote a letter to opposition alliance INDIA, and sought its support for their demand of a separate administration and implementation of President's rule in Manipur. "We implore you to help us survive this onslaught by supporting our demand for a separate administration from Manipur and to urge the central government to introduce President rule immediately in Manipur to end the violence," the two-page letter read.