Over 1,700 residents of Manipur’s Jiribam have taken shelter in the Lakhipur area of Cachar district after fresh violence broke out in their homeland last month
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, plans to visit displaced residents from Manipur currently residing in Assam’s Cachar district before traveling to the violence-affected northeastern state on Monday.
On Sunday, Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah informed the media that Rahul Gandhi will travel from New Delhi to Kumbirgram Airport in Assam’s Silchar via a special aircraft. His first agenda will be to meet with the displaced people.
“He is scheduled to arrive at Silchar airport at 9 am on Monday and will proceed by road to Manipur’s Jiribam. Before departing for Jiribam, he will meet with the displaced residents currently sheltering in Assam. After his visit to Jiribam, Rahul Gandhi will return to Silchar airport and then fly to Imphal,” Borah stated.
Following recent outbreaks of violence in their homeland last month, over 1,700 residents from Manipur’s Jiribam have sought refuge in the Lakhipur area of Cachar district. Many recounted crossing the Barak River, which forms a significant portion of the state border, under the cover of night.
After their arrival, the Assam police intensified security measures, with senior officers issuing stern warnings to the displaced residents.
On June 17, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed local authorities to provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced people while maintaining strict adherence to the law and preventing any violence.
Assam’s Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Prasanta Kumar Bhuiyan, on June 23 reminded the displaced individuals that they are in Assam, not Manipur, urging them to respect the laws of the state.
The Assam Congress president mentioned on Sunday that Rahul Gandhi intends to engage directly with the displaced residents to gain a deeper understanding of the situation.
“Borah emphasized the importance of Rahul Gandhi’s visit, highlighting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have overlooked the issues in Manipur and have not made efforts to resolve the conflicts. He sees Gandhi’s visit as a significant step towards bringing peace to Manipur.”
He mentioned that Gandhi plans to spend a day in Imphal and will return to Delhi on July 9th. This will mark Rahul Gandhi’s third visit to Manipur since the ethnic violence erupted in May last year.
