Will study situation to advise govt, Parl: INDIA bloc on Manipur visit

New Delhi: The delegation of INDIA bloc MPs which will visit Manipur over the weekend will assess the ground situation first-hand and then make recommendations to the government and Parliament for a solution to the problems in the violence-hit state, opposition leaders said on Friday.

Ahead of the visit, Congress’ deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi called for an inquiry under a retired Supreme Court judge into the violence in Manipur. The delegation is likely to include Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, TMC’s Sushmita Dev, JMM’s Mahua Maji, DMK’s Kanimozhi, NCP’s Vandana Chavan, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N K Premachandran of RSP and T Thirumavalavan of the VCK. Gogoi said, “The BJP wants to give the picture that everything is fine in Manipur but it is not so with violence continuing. That is why we want that an inquiry should be conducted under a retired Supreme Court judge as to how did the state government fail, how did people got access to weapons in this quantity, what was the administration doing.”

Trinamool Congress’ Dev said the opposition delegation wants to give the message that “we are with the people of Manipur”. “We are concerned, we want peace to return...the government has failed, so we want to go there and see what solution can be found,” she said. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T R Baalu said the opposition delegation will be leaving for Manipur on Saturday morning and will find out what went wrong, the extent of damage and loss of lives and property. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Premchandran said the intent of the visit is to have a first-hand information about the happenings in the state.