MPs from opposition bloc INDIA to visit Manipur on July 29, 30

New Delhi: A group of MPs from the opposition alliance INDIA will visit Manipur on July 29 and 30 to assess the situation in the northeastern state which has been engulfed in ethnic violence since May 3. The delegation of more than 20 opposition MPs will visit Manipur this weekend and will take a first-hand account of the situation in the state, Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore told PTI. Sources said that one MP each from the INDIA bloc parties or their representatives are expected to be part of the delegation.

The delegation will visit both the valley and the hill regions of the state and meet different communities there. They will also visit some relief camps. TMC's Sushmita Dev, JMM's Mahua Maji and NCP's Vandana Chavan are likely to be part of the delegation. Earlier, the opposition bloc had wanted a delegation of chief ministers to visit the state but the idea was dropped due to logistical issues, sources said.

The opposition bloc had been demanding that a delegation of their leaders be allowed to visit the state but till now they had been denied permission in view of the situation there. However, earlier two delegations -- one from the Left and another from TMC - visited the state. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also visited a few places in Manipur earlier.

The opposition has been demanding a statement from the prime minister in Parliament on the situation in ethnic strife-torn Manipur followed by a full-fledged discussion on it. The northeastern state of Manipur has been engulfed in ethnic violence since May 3, in which more than 160 people have lost their lives.