‘People rejected PM Modi's apathy': Congress discusses ways to alleviate ‘Manipur’s pain'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, ex-party chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretary KC Venugopal, were briefed by leaders of the party's Manipur unit.

The Congress on Monday held an intra-party meeting to discuss ways to ‘alleviate the pain of the people in the ethnic strife-torn Manipur’

People at a relief camp in Manipur’s Jiribam district on Saturday, June 22. (PTI)

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, ex-party chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretary KC Venugopal, attended the meeting, in which they were briefed by members of the Manipur unit of the grand old party.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kharge wrote, “This time, Manipur voted for compassion, peace, and harmony. PM Modi's abject apathy towards the people was soundly rejected. The BJP state govt is complicit in failing to prevent the violence, even as tens of thousands of people still suffer the unending circle of turmoil.”

"Our party high command has shown its commitment and stand for the people of Manipur. The party has given time to both our MPs to speak in Lok Sabha for Manipur," Keishem Meghchandra, who heads the Congress' unit in Manipur, posted on X.

In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, the Congress won both parliamentary seats in the state: Inner Manipur (won by Angomcha Bimol Akoijam) and Outer Manipur (won by Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur).

Since May last year, the state has been witnessing clashes between its Meitei and Kuki communities; the violence has claimed more than 200 lives, while thousands have been forced to flee their homes. The BJP governments at the Centre and state have come under criticism for failing to end the violence; Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been criticised for not visiting Manipur since the crisis began and for his ‘silence’ on the issue.

In June 2023, Rahul Gandhi made a two-day visit to the state, during which he met members of both the communities. On January 14 this year, he kicked off his 66-day Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the second edition of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, from the state's Thoubal district.