Manipur: Opposition delegation reaches Raj Bhawan to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey

MANIPUR: The visiting delegation of Opposition leaders from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) on Sunday reached Raj Bhawan to meet Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey. The 21-member delegation of the grand Opposition alliance, on Saturday, arrived on a two-day visit of the state, which has seen ethnic strife and violence since May 4.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, who is part of the visiting delegation, said a memorandum will be handed to the Manipur Governor during the meeting. "We are going to request the Governor to restore peace to the state. We will also hand over a memorandum to the Governor," he told ANI.

Also speaking to ANI ahead of the visit to Raj Bhawan, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev said the situation in Manipur was grave. "The situation here is grave and the same is being widely reported in the media. We want to present a joint memorandum to the Governor and urge him to restore peace at the earliest. We will also request the Governor to brief PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the prevailing situation in the state," she said.

Earlier, on Saturday, the Opposition delegation said it aims to bring about "psychological healing" for the people over its two-day visit to the state. At a press briefing after visits to 4 relief shelters, housing locals displaced by the ethnic violence, the delegation members said they were ready to hold a discussion with the Centre and offer suggestions and advice to restore peace.

Coming down heavily on the BJP-led Centre for not sending a similar team to the strife-torn state, the Opposition leaders said they happily join Prime Minister Narendra Modi, if he visits the state with an all-party delegation. However, the BJP hit out at the delegation saying the Centre was ready for a discussion on Manipur in Parliament but the Opposition is "running away".

Flanked by fellow members of the delegation on Saturday evening, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "We have always said that if the Prime Minister wants to lead an all-party delegation here, we would be happy to be a part of it. After all, we all want peace to return to Manipur at the earliest." The BJP, however, termed the Opposition's Manipur visit as a "show off' and "political tourism".

Accusing the Opposition of running away from a debate in Parliament on Manipur, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, "The Opposition has the right to go anywhere. But, the Parliament is currently in session and the government is ready for discussion (on Manipur). So, why are they running away? For the last seven days, they haven't allowed the Parliament to function," Sushil Modi told ANI on Saturday. Notably, the viral video from Manipur — where two women were purportedly seen being paraded naked — triggered a war of words between the Centre and Opposition, resulting in repeated disruptions and adjournments in Parliament.

The 21-member Opposition delegation from both Houses includes Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, K Suresh and Phulo Devi Netam of the Congress; Rajiv Ranjan Lalan Singh of the JDU; Sushmita Dev from Trinamool Congress; Kanimozhi from DMK; Sandosh Kumar of the CPI; AA Rahim from CPI(M), Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD; Javed Ali Khan of SP; Mahua Maji of JMM; PP Mohammed Faizal of NCP; Aneel Prasad Hegde of JDU, ET Mohammed Basheer of IUML; NK Premachandran of RSP; Sushil Gupta of AAP; Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT); D Ravikumar of VCK; Thiru Thol Thirumavalavan also of VCK; and Jayant Singh of the RLD.