"If sharing Manipur people's pain is show-off then...": Sena (UBT) leader Raut slams BJP

Hitting back at the BJP for labelling the ongoing two-day visit of Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. to Manipur as "show-off" and "political tourism", Shiv Sena Party (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Raut, on Sunday said that sharing the pain of the country's citizens is not a show-off and that it was the duty of Opposition to visit the strife-torn state. "(Since the ethnic clashes broke) neither the Prime Minister has visited the state, nor given any statement on it. Manipur is a part of the country, the people of the state are the citizens of India. If the Prime Minister does not visit the state, then it is our duty to go there," Raut said while speaking to reporters here.

Taking note of the 21-member multi-party delegation of Opposition MPs from the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, who are in Manipur, Raut said, "Our people talked to the people of the state and understood their pain. If understanding and sharing the pain of the country's citizens is called showing off, then I think we have not seen such cruel politics." Earlier, BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh, said that while the Centre is trying to restore normalcy, the opposition is "staging a drama".

"This is mere show-off...PM Modi's government is trying to heal the wounds of people in Manipur but the Opposition is simply staging a drama," Chugh said while speaking to ANI. Meanwhile, the Opposition delegation on Sunday reached Raj Bhawan in Imphal and met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey. All 21 MPs handed over a memorandum to her and spoke with her about the situation in Manipur.

Earlier, speaking to ANI ahead of their 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."