NEW DELHI: The ethnic conflict in Manipur is set to cast a shadow on the proposed Bharat Nyay Yatra of the Congress aimed at mobilising support for the party before the forthcoming LS elections.
The Manipur to Mumbai journey by bus, led by Rahul Gandhi, is slated to be flagged off by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Imphal on January 14. While people from various communities of Manipur are likely to take part in the launch of the yatra, Congress leaders and workers of the state belonging to the Kuki community are going to give the inaugural event a miss.
Ever since the ethnic violence between the people of the Meitei and the Kuki communities broke out in Manipur in May, Kuki tribals have fled the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley.
“The ethnic violence is still going on. It is not advisable for the Kukis to come to Imphal for the flag-off ceremony,” K Meghachandra Singh, president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), informed over the phone from Imphal. Congress supporters belonging to the Kuki community will organise a reception for the yatra at Kangpokpi, Singh said.
Located 45 km from Imphal, Kangpokpi is on the highway linking Imphal with Kohima. Top Kuki leaders of the Congress, including former MPCC chief TN Haokip and former member of the state Cabinet N Haokip, would be present at the function at Kangpokpi, where Kukis are the dominant community. None of the Meitei Congress leaders, including Meghachandra Singh, will take part in the Kangpokpi programme. “The government is not interested in restoring piece in Manipur. It is because of the government’s failure that hostilities continue to simmer in the state,” the MPCC chief said.
The third stop of the yatra would be at Senapati district, where Naga tribals would welcome Rahul and his associates.
Meghachandra said Congress workers were hopeful that the high-profile event would be able to give a message of peace across the state.