Cong slams 'double engine troublesome' govts for blocking RaGa's visit

NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge lashed at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at centre and in Manipur for blocking Rahul Gandhi's visit to meet the affected people, despite having valid permission from the local administration that he could visit the places by road.

"History is witness to the fact that whenever Rahul Gandhi has resolved to visit an affected place, come what may, he reaches there", party Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate told reporters at the AICC headquarters here on Thursday.

Condemning the Manipur government's action, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote on Twitter, "Shri @RahulGandhi's convoy in Manipur has been stopped by the police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state".

Pointing out Prime Minister Modi's silence, he said, "PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur.He has left the state to fend for itself. Now, his double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms.Manipur needs peace, not confrontation".

Rahul Gandhi, after reaching Manipur, said on Thursday in a Facebook post, "landed in Manipur today, where I will be visiting relief camps and meeting the families of those affected by the violence that has engulfed the State.I will also be meeting with members of the civil society. Restoration of peace is the top priority. Manipur needs healing, and only together we can bring harmony".

Criticising the government's action to stop Gandhi from visiting the affected areas, Congress general secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter, "It is most unfortunate that the Modi Govt is preventing @RahulGandhi from visiting relief camps and interacting with the people outside Imphal".

"His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Prime Minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive but why stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch?", he asked.

javascript:void(0);Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on her Twitter handle, "It is the duty of every patriot to try and work for peace and harmony. Shri Rahul Gandhi has gone to Manipur to share the pain of people there and convey the message of peace.

The BJP government should also do the same thing. Why does the government want to stop Rahul Gandhi Ji from going there?" Briefing reporters at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson and Chairperson of Social Media and Digital Platforms, Ms Supriya Shrinate, said, come what may, Rahul Gandhi will visit the affected areas and meet the affected people.

She said, when it should have been Prime Minister Modi himself who should be visiting Manipur, which has been burning for the last two months, his government was preventing those like Rahul Gandhi who wanted to provide a healing touch and wipe the tears of those who have suffered.

Shrinate pointed out, PM Modi had all the time to campaign and review party programmes like "mera booth sabse mazboot", but he had no time for Manipur. She pointed out, even after two months, the Prime Minister had not condemned the violence in Manipur and nor had he appealed for peace there.

The Congress spokesperson said, no matter how much the "double engine troublesome government" of the centre and Manipur may try to stop Rahul Gandhi, history is witness to the fact that he (Rahul Gandhi) has reached all those places he resolved to visit. She said it was not the first time that the BJP government had done so as he had been stopped on his way to Hathras and Lakhimpur Kheri also.