In response to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Manipur and his participation in an Opposition meeting, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge vehemently condemned the BJP’s remarks, stating that they were driven by jealousy. Kharge accused the BJP of lacking a democratic mindset and functioning more like a dictatorship.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge expressed, “They (BJP) always speak with jealousy. If a Congress leader goes there (Manipur) to try and understand the difficulties of the people, they call it a drama. They call the Opposition meeting in Patna a photo session. They are not of a democratic mindset but of dictatorship.”
Kharge went on to criticize the BJP’s double standards, highlighting the contrasting treatment of opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and their own party members. He questioned why Gandhi was stopped by authorities and emphasized that proper security measures should have been provided to him, especially considering his past efforts to connect with people in distress.
“The man who walked for over 4,000 kms, can’t you provide him protection to visit the affected places? You have protection. Why couldn’t he be provided police, military, CRF, Border force protection? Some arrangement should have been done. They knew of his visit four days ago,” Kharge asserted.
Rahul Gandhi embarked on a two-day visit to Manipur, where he visited relief camps in Churachandpur, one of the towns severely affected by the ongoing ethnic clashes. However, his convoy was halted by local police in Bishnupur, fearing potential attacks. Subsequently, Gandhi flew to Churachandpur via helicopter.
On the second day of his visit, Gandhi arrived in Moirang to meet with individuals impacted by the ethnic clashes. Accompanied by former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, PCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, and former MP Ajay Kumar, Gandhi engaged in discussions with affected individuals in two relief camps, listening to their grievances.
Gandhi also planned to convene with leaders from ten like-minded political parties and members of civil society to address the situation in strife-torn Manipur.
The BJP, in response to Gandhi’s visit, criticized his stubbornness and lack of sensitivity regarding ground realities. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, during a briefing, expressed disappointment and highlighted legacy issues in Manipur, partially attributing them to Congress.
“It is sad that Rahul Gandhi has gone to Manipur with stubbornness, which is not right. He should have been aware of the ground realities before going there. Sensitivity is far more important than stubbornness. We are a democratic country,” stated Patra.
While the BJP and Congress engage in a war of words over Gandhi’s visit, the focus remains on addressing the ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur and finding a peaceful resolution to the situation.
The political landscape in Manipur continues to witness tensions as opposition parties demand accountability from the ruling government and strive for effective measures to restore peace and stability in the region.
Sources By Agencies
