You will be surprised why Modi...: Rahul's video message on Manipur

NEW DELHI: Amid the unrest in Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware that BJP's ideology has set the northeastern state on fire.

According to the Congress leader, PM Modi has got nothing to do with the violence-hit state because he is the Prime Minister of only a few selected people.

In a video message shared by Indian National Congress on Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said, "What is Prime Minister Narendra Modi doing for Manipur? Why is he not saying anything about Manipur? It is because Narendra Modi has nothing to do with Manipur. He knows that his own ideology has burned Manipur.”

Hitting out at PM Modi for not visiting the Northeastern State, Rahul Gandhi said, “Have you seen what happened in Manipur? And what is happening? You will be surprised that the Prime Minister has not said a word about Manipur. You would have thought that when a state of the country is burning, the Prime Minister of the country would say something. Many of you would have thought that the Prime Minister of the country would go to Imphal to at least talk to the people.”

“If it had been any previous Prime Minister, especially one from the Congress party, they would have been present there. But you will be surprised why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not going to Manipur. Why is he not speaking about Manipur? Because Narendra Modi Ji is the Prime Minister of selected people, he is also the Prime Minister of the RSS. He has nothing to do with Manipur. He knows that his ideology has burnt Manipur. But the sorrow in Manipur, the pain, the injury to women—Narendra Modi Ji does not care about it,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi added.

Accusing the BJP-RSS of only focusing on getting to power, Rahul said, "There is an ideological war going on between the RSS-BJP and the Congress. While the ideology of Congress is to protect the Constitution, unite the country, and fight against social inequality, RSS-BJP wants that a few selected people should run this country and all the wealth of the country should be in their hands."

"BJP-RSS only wants power and can do anything to get power. For power, they will burn Manipur, they will burn the whole country. They don't care about the sorrow and pain of the country," he added. Alleging BJP-RSS of "dividing India", the Congress leader said, "You have patriotism in your heart. When the country gets hurt, when any citizen of the country gets hurt, you also feel the pain. But the people of BJP-RSS are not feeling any pain, because they are doing the work of dividing India." A team of opposition MPs belonging to I.N.D.I.A is slated to visit Manipur on July 29 and 30 amid their demand for a detailed discussion in Parliament on the situation in the state, which has seen ethnic violence.

"A team of INDIA alliance MPs will visit Manipur on July 29, 30," an Opposition leader said.

Opposition parties have been pressing for their demand since the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 20.

The government has said it is ready for debate on the issue but the opposition has insisted on debate under adjournment motion.

Manipur has been witnessing violence since May 3, following the protests by the Kuki and Meitei communities against the High Court's order asking the state government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the category of Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Only STs can buy lands in hilly areas.

The majority Meitei community, which occupies the Imphal Valley and nearby areas, sought the ST status keeping in view their increasing population and increased requirement of land so that they could purchase lands in the hilly areas.