A delegation of MPs from the INDIA bloc of parties will be on a 2-day visit to strife-torn Manipur over the weekend, opposition leaders told Hindustan Times on Thursday.
The MPs will be in the northeastern state on Saturday and Sunday, the leaders said. Since the first week of May, Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes between the Meitis and Kukis, and the BJP-led state government has come under fire over its failure to stop the violence.
The BJP-led central government, too, has been criticised over the continuing violence, and its inaction against the state's N Biren Singh-led regime.
The upcoming Manipur visit by INDIA MPs, meanwhile, will come almost exactly a month after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi went there (June 29, 30), and met victims, as well as civil society groups.
INDIA turns up in ‘black’
On Thursday, INDIA members attended Parliament in black attires, doing so to protest prime minister Narendra Modi's silence on the Manipur issue, and continued to demand a statement from him. The government, on the other hand, again stressed it was ready for a discussion, accusing the opposition of running from debate.
Till now, PM Modi has addressed the issue only once. On July 20, the first day of the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, he spoke to the media ahead of the commencement of the proceedings. A day ago, a video had surfaced from Manipur of two women being paraded naked and molested by a mob.
The opposition, on the other hand, says that the PM spoke outside the House, and that too for just 36 seconds. According to them, therefore, he must give a detailed statement inside the House.
The INDIA bloc
{{/usCountry}}The opposition, on the other hand, says that the PM spoke outside the House, and that too for just 36 seconds. According to them, therefore, he must give a detailed statement inside the House.
The INDIA bloc
{{/usCountry}}It is a group of 26 opposition parties, including the Congress, for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The parties have joined hands to take on PM Modi and the BJP and prevent them from winning a third successive term at the Centre.