"NDA Union Ministers used to visit Manipur...": Jairam Ramesh takes dig at Centre
Jul 30, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 30 : As the visiting delegation of Opposition leaders met the Manipur Governor on the second day of their fact-finding visit to the state, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack at the Centre saying only one minister from the ruling NDA has visited the Northeast state since the ethnic violence broke out.
The Congress Rajya Sabha MP noted that the visit by the delegation of MPs from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is aimed at paying heed to the pain, and anguish of the people and taking stock of the condition of displaced locals in Manipur.
"NDA Union Ministers used to visit Manipur every week and at times every other day in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly elections in the state. Since the outbreak of ethnic violence, only the Union Home Minister has visited once, that too after a delay of more than a month… with no tangible impact to show. Meanwhile, first it was @RahulGandhi and now the delegation of 20 MPs from Team INDIA, who are there in Manipur — listening to the pain, anguish and horror of both the communities, appealing for peace, taking stock of the condition of the relief camps across Manipur, and trying to build bridges," the Congress leader tweeted.
Earlier, on Saturday, the Opposition delegation in Manipur said it was aiming to bring about 'psychological healing' for the people and was ready to hold talks with the Centre in the interest of restoring lasting peace to the state.
Coming down hard on the NDA for not sending a similar team to the state, the delegation members said they would happily join Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he visits the state with an all-party delegation.
Addressing a press conference, flanked by other members of the delegation, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said on Saturday, "We have always said that if the Prime Minister wants to lead an all-party delegation, we would be happy to be a part of it. In the end, we want peace to be established.”
Two teams of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance visited four relief camps across the state, meeting locals displaced by the Manipur violence.
After visiting a relief camp in Bishnupur district, Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury urged Manipur CM Biren Singh to meet the affected people.
“I want to appeal to Manipur CM N Biren Singh to meet people sheltered in these relief camps. The common people in the relief camps are facing a lot of difficulties. We all have to work for them,” he said.
