Manipur violence needs to be stopped immediately: Rahul Gandhi

Kozhikode: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the continuing violence in the northeastern state of Manipur is disturbing and needs to be stopped immediately.

The MP from Wayanad said the violence in the state was a direct result of a particular type of politics of division, hatred and anger. “So, it is important to keep everyone together as a family,” said Gandhi, who was on a two-day visit to Kerala and will return to Delhi tonight.

He said everyone has to come together to not only help Manipur heal, but also “ensure this new unpleasant type of politics does not spread and is stopped in its tracks”.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone of the Community Disability Management Center (CDMC) at St Joseph High School Auditorium in Kodenchery here, Gandhi said he has been disturbed for the last few months ever since he visited Manipur.

“I saw with my own eyes what happened there and what has been done to the people of Manipur. In my 19 years of political life, I have never experienced what I experienced in Manipur.

“It is as if one person has been torn into two pieces. It is like someone has torn one whole state of the union. The violence, rape and killing just continues. So, it is important that the violence (in Manipur) is stopped immediately,” he said.

Gandhi further said that the wounds inflicted as a result of the violence would take many years to heal.

“The sadness and anger will not go away so easily,” he added. He said the violence in Manipur was a lesson to him on what happens when you use politics of division, hatred and anger in a state. “It is a direct result of a particular type of politics where you divide the country and spread hatred and anger. So, it is important to keep everyone together as family,” he said.

On Saturday, he had launched a stinging attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by accusing him of not addressing the problem of Manipur even during the debate on the violence in the northeastern state in the Parliament a few days ago. Lashing out at Modi, Gandhi had said the BJP and the government led by it “murdered the idea of India” in Manipur.

Gandhi’s visit to Kerala is the first one after his reinstatement as MP of Wayanad and he is scheduled to depart for Delhi from Calicut International airport at around 10.30 PM. He arrived in the state on Saturday. Prior to sharing his views about the violence in Manipur, he spoke about the CMDC and how it will help the differently-abled children.

Gandhi said that everyone has a special ability or unique strength within them which society does not allow them to discover. “These kinds of centres should try to discover the unique strengths of such children,” he said. The Wayanad MP also said that the centre would carry out “early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation” with regard to disabled and differently-abled children. He said he was happy and honoured to give Rs 55 lakh from his MPLADS fund to the CMDC and looked forward to helping them in any way he can in future. PTI