Opposition leaders of INDIA bloc will visit the violence-hit state of Manipur over the weekend. The leaders have assured that they will assess ground situation in Manipur and will make necessary recommendation to the government and Parliament. The leaders also said that they help to find a solution to the problems that are prevailing in the state reeling under violence for over three months. INDIA bloc has released a list of 20 leaders who will visit the state.
The delegation that will visit Manipur includes leaders of various opposition parties, including Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Vandana Chavan of NCP, TMC’s Sushmita Dev, JMM’s Mahua Maji, DMK’s Kanimozhi, T Thirumavalavan of the VCK and N K Premachandran of RSP. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has also called for inquiry over the Manipur violence under a retired Supreme Court judge.
Gogoi said, “The BJP wants to give the picture that everything is fine in Manipur but it is not so with violence continuing. That is why we want that an inquiry should be conducted under a retired Supreme Court judge as to how did the state government fail, how did people got access to weapons in this quantity, what was the administration doing.” “The chief minister (N Biren Singh) himself admits that there are more than 100 FIRs. Why was the administration sleeping for two months. There should be an inquiry under a retired Supreme Court judge and all INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) MPs will go to Manipur and find out the truth and will put forward that truth before Parliament,” he told PTI outside Parliament.
Trinamool Congress’ Dev said the opposition delegation wants to give the message that “we are with the people of Manipur”. We are concerned, we want peace to return…the government has failed, so we want to go there and see what solution can be found,” she said.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T R Baalu said the opposition delegation will be leaving for Manipur Saturday morning and will find out what went wrong, the extent of damage and loss of lives and property.
Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Premchandran said the intent of the visit is to have a first-hand information about the happenings in the state. “The violence is still going on so we would like to have first-hand information and suggest some solutions and recommendations to the government and Parliament before the discussion comes there,” he said.
“We would like to visit the relief camps regarding rehabilitation of the victims. What is the real cause of the violence, we want to find out,” he said. The opposition bloc had been demanding that a delegation of their leaders be allowed to visit the state but till now they had been denied permission in view of the situation there.
(With PTI Inputs)
