Eye of the storm: Opposition bloc MPs plunge into Manipur’s ethnic strife

A team of 21 members of parliament (MPs) from the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A landed in strife-ridden Manipur on Saturday, ready to face the harsh reality of the ethnic clashes tearing apart the northeastern state. Their mission is to assess the ground situation firsthand and provide help to the victims holed up in relief camps.

The MPs embarked on this daring venture from Delhi, reaching Imphal by commercial flight. Their first stop? Churachandpur, a recent hotbed of violence, where they will meet victims from the Kuki community.

In a twist straight from a suspense movie, due to security issues, the delegation will be split into two teams and transported by helicopter to Churachandpur. The first team includes Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, and they will visit a relief camp set up at Churachandpur College’s Boys’ Hostel.

Manipur ethnic clashes: Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A MPs take stock of situation. Image courtesy of BestGraphics_Com from Pixabay.

The second team, led by Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, will journey to Don Bosco School in Churachandpur, another refuge for those displaced by the violence.

Back in Imphal, the Chowdhury-led team will hit the road to Bishnupur district’s Moirang College, where they will meet victims from the Meitei community. The other team will visit the Ideal Girl’s College relief camp in Akampat and another camp at Lamboikhongangkhong.

On Sunday, the delegation is slated to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhawan to discuss the volatile situation and brainstorm possible peace-making measures.

Since early May, Manipur has been a battleground, with clashes breaking out between the majority Meitei community and the hill-dwelling Kukis, claiming over 160 lives. The opposition MPs’ daring venture aims to bring peace to the troubled state.