At least 180 people have died since violence broke out in Manipur on May 3.
A 21-member opposition delegation is in Manipur today to assess the ground situation in the northeastern state where ethnic violence has been raging for nearly three months. They said they will take the stories of the victims to parliament.
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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 (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.
The delegation includes Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, Sushmita Dev of the Trinamool, DMK's Kanimozhi, RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha, and JDU chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, among others. This is their first visit to the state since the formation of the Opposition front INDIA.
Their visit coincided with Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey's visit to Churachandpur, where she met victims with an assurance from the BJP-led centre and the state government of their safety and support for them.
The opposition leaders, on a two-day visit, landed in Imphal this afternoon and then flew to Churachandpur in a chopper. There, they met Kuki tribe leaders, civil society and women groups, said sources. The delegation also visited relief camps and met the victims of violence before returning to Imphal, where they met members of the Meitei community, sources added.
The BJP has slammed the Opposition MPs and reiterated the alleged crimes against women in Rajasthan and West Bengal. "This is just optics. When this I.N.D.I.A. returns from Manipur, I want to ask Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury if he supports the crimes against women in his state West Bengal. Will these 20 MPs of I.N.D.I.A. (front) give reports on Rajasthan and West Bengal as well," asked Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
Congress's Gaurav Gogoi said, "We will take the stories of the victims to parliament. The PM should have led an all-party delegation to Manipur, then we would have been happy. His NDA partners never came here, but INDIA is here to be with the people."
The Manipur issue has led to a parliament logjam since the Monsoon Session convened this month, with the Opposition MPs demanding a long discussion on it as well as a statement from the Prime Minister in parliament. But the centre has insisted that Home Minister Amit Shah will respond to the Opposition.
The government is also set to face a no-confidence motion in the parliament, brought by the Congress. The Lok Sabha Speaker has accepted the motion but is yet to decide a date for the no-trust vote.
In a major show of strength by the Meitei community in Imphal, the powerful civil society body COCOMI led a massive rally with thousands of people from different communities participating. They raised the demand for an NRC exercise and sought protection of Manipur's territorial integrity.
The government of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who has thus far refused to give in to demands of resignation, has decided to convene an assembly session at the end of this month or early August. At least 180 people have died and thousands have been displaced since the violence broke out on May 3.
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