Rahul Gandhi begins 2-day visit to strife-torn Manipur

Imphal: After arriving at Imphal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi left for Manipur's Churachandpur where he will meet people displaced by the ethnic strife at relief camps on Thursday.

State Congress officials told PTI that Gandhi will also interact with civil society representatives, intellectuals and others in the course of his two-day visit.

“The aim of the trip is to bring a healing touch to those who have been affected by the ethnic strife in Manipur,” a senior Congress office bearer in the state said.

Around 50,000 people are now staying in over 300 relief camps across the state since ethnic strife started in May this year.

On Friday, Gandhi is scheduled to visit relief camps in Imphal and hold talks with certain civil society organisations, Congress sources said.

Dr Ajoy Kumar, Congress in charge of Manipur, had told PTI Video before the visit started, “The government should listen to the people... The Biren Singh government should be removed.” More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.