Here to hear grievances, onus on PM to restore peace: Gogoi
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 29 2023:
The 21-member delegation of the opposition alliance, INDIA, arrived here on Saturday on two-day state visit and interacted with inmates in relief camps in Churachandpur and Bish-nupur districts on Saturday.
After returning from the relief camps, Gaurav Gogoi of INC, a leading party of the Opposition alliance, told media persons at Hotel Classic Grande that senior MPs of INDIA alliance are in Manipur to take stock of the prevailing situation and hear grievances of the people affected by the on-going violence in Manipur.
According to Gaurav, Opposition MPs have physically witnessed suffering of the people affected by the on-going violence and some women who narrated their ordeal to the delegation broke to restart their lives afresh, Gaurav Gogoi said.
He also informed said that the INDIA MPs first visited Churachandpur and inspected relief camps opened in the district headquarters.
The 21-member delegation was the divided into two groups with one visiting relief camps in Moirang and the other interacting with displaced peo ple sheltered at Ideal Girl's College, Akampat relief camp, he said adding that real intention of Opposition MPs was to interact with suffering displaced people to hear their According to Gaurav Gogoi, the Centre is hoping to bring justice to violence affected people after acknowledging their plights as well bringing out a road-map for ending the violence after hearing points raised by the Opposition.
So far, only Opposition parties are taking ground report by visiting Manipur and another objective of INDIA alliance is to understand complexity of the present problem, he said and questioned as to where have the ruling parties including NEDA gone.
He then urged national leaders to visit Manipur and physically witness suffering of the people in relief camps.
Earlier, the MPs delegation visited relief camp at Akampat, where people who fled from Moreh and Churachandpur are currently taking shelter.
During the interaction, inmates of the relief camp told the MPs that Kukis started attacking Meeteis first and Central forces deployed in Meetei inhabited areas in Churachandpur and Moreh did nothing to stop open loot -ing, vandalism and torching of houses right under their nose.
They also informed the MPs that they have no more faith on Indian Army.
Those displaced from Moreh also informed the MPs that they do not want to stay at temporary shelter house being constructed by the government but want to return to their respective homes.
They also urged the MPs to pressurise Central government to allow Meeteis to re-settle in Moreh and deploy more state forces in the border town.
When girl inmate of a re-' lief camp in Churachandpur got emotional while narrating her ordeal and kneeled down to the MPs to save lives of her community, the MPs consoled the girl and said that they are with her and came to end suffering of the people.
CLP leader O Ibobi Singh, AICC CWC member Gaikhangam, MPCC president K Meghachandra, Congress MLAs K Ranjit, O Sur-jakumar and Th Lokeshwar, JDU spokesperson Nimaic-hand Luwang, ex-MLA Ksh Biren, ex-MLA Dr Kh Loken and state leaders of INDIA alliance parties accompanied the MPs delegation's visit to the relief camp at Akampat.
Our Bishnupur correspondent informed that the MPs delegation met inmates of relief camp opened at Moirang College, where people displaced from Churachandpur and Torbung after their houses were torched and destroyed by Kuki militants are currently taking shelter.
Earlier, on their arrival at Imphal Airport at 12:30 pm where the MP delegation was given a warm welcome by leaders of different political parties of the state, Gaurav Gogoi said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi should initiate talk with the stakeholders concerned to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
He also stressed the need to ensure proper education to those students who are affected as well as pro-actively involved in the crisis.
JD-U MP Rajiv Ranjan, who is also among the MP team, expressed urgent need to end violence and restore peace in the state.
Pointing out that the opposition MPs have been demanding a statement on the Manipur issue from PM Modi in the on-going parliament session, he regretted that the Prime Minister has time to visit various countries and states but and has no time to spare for the parliament.
Shiv Sena MP Arvind Gan-pat Sawant also informed reporters that the.delegation will assess the ground situation and place thorough report in the parliament on behalf of the people of Manipur.
He also stated that the opposition had even raised a no confidence motion in the Parliament over the silence of PM Modi regarding the Manipur crisis.
According to RSP MP K Premchandra, the MP delegation has no intention to politicise the ethnic conflict in Manipur though the same has tarnished India's image, but came to meet victims of ethnic clashes and hear their grievances.
The other MPs include Congress' Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, Sushmi-ta Dev (TMC), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK), San-tosh Kumar (CPI), AA Rahim (CPI M), Professor Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD), Anil Pra-shad Hegdre ((JDU), Zaved Ali Khan (SP), Mahua Mahji (JMM), PP Mohammad Faizal (NCP), ET Mohammad Ba-sheer (IUML), Sushil Gupta (AAP), Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena), D Ravikumar (VCK), Thol Thirumavalvan (VCK), Jayant Sinha (RJD), Phulo Devi (INC) and Suresh (INC) .