21 Opposition MPs to visit Manipur to conduct 'on-the-spot assessment'

A 21-member delegation from the Opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A is en route to Manipur to assess the ground situation in the violence-hit state.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) has decided to send 21 Members of Parliament from 16 parties for a two-day “on-the-spot assessment.”

“In the coming week, we want to keep before the Parliament what the concerns of people of Manipur….Those who used to talk about one India have created two sides in Manipur,” said Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.

#WATCH | Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi speaks on the 2-day visit of Opposition MPs to Manipur, says, “In the coming week, we want to keep before the Parliament what the concerns of people of Manipur….Those who used to talk about one India have created two sides in Manipur…” pic.twitter.com/b26FUbOVBP

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2023

The twenty member MPs delegation having MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha includes K Suresh, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, Rajiv Ranjan Lalan Singh, Sushmita Dev, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Sandosh Kumar, AA Rahim, Prof Manoj Kumar Jha, Javed Ali Khan, Mahua Maji, PP Mohammed Faizal, Aneel Prasad Hegde, ET Mohammed Basheer, NK Premachandran, Sushil Gupta, Arvind Sawant, D Ravikumar, Thiru Thol Thirumavalavan, Jayant Singh and Phulo Devi Netam.

“We are going there not to raise political issues but to understand the pain of the people of Manipur. We have been appealing to the government to find a solution to the sensitive situation which has emerged in Manipur,” Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on visit of 20 MPs from opposition alliance INDIA to violence-hit Manipur

“We are going there not to raise political issues but to understand the pain of the people of Manipur. We have been appealing to the government to find a solution to the… pic.twitter.com/GcdNsMLWzP

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2023

He added, “It is not a law & order situation but there is communal violence there. It is also affecting its neighbouring states. The government has not fulfilled its responsibility. We are going to assess the real situation on the ground in Manipur.”

“We are going to Manipur today to understand the agonies and atrocities faced by the people there. We want to hear their expectations…As opposition MPs, we will support in all ways to bring normalcy there,” PP Mohammed Faizal, NCP-Sharad Pawar faction MP said.

INDIA delegation of 20 Members of Parliament will visit #Manipur today

We are going to Manipur today to understand the agonies and atrocities faced by the people there. We want to hear their expectations…As opposition MPs, we will support in all ways to bring normalcy there:… pic.twitter.com/nGI98pbJmI

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2023

Police begin process of recording statements

Manipur Police have got in touch with the two women who were paraded naked in May and then sexually assaulted, and are in the process of recording their statement, PTI quoted officials as saying on Friday.

They said keeping in mind the situation arising out of ethnic clashes that broke out in the state on May 4, a team of women officials and personnel from Manipur police was formed to probe the case.

The officials said the team had met the family members as well as the two women and the process of recording their statements has begun.

With inputs from agencies