Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur a day after Leader of Opposition and Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi visited the ethnic violence-hit northeastern state.
Raut said that the Prime Minister has time to go to Russia, Italy, London and even comes to Maharashtra several times in a year. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader questioned Modi on why he hasn't visited Manipur even once ever since ethnic strife broke out in the northeastern state.
"PM Modi goes to Russia, Italy, London... he comes to Maharashtra many times. Why doesn't he visit Manipur? Isn't Manipur a part of our country?" Raut said while speaking to reporters.
On Monday, Rahul Gandhi visited three relief camps in different districts of the BJP-ruled state and interacted with the inmates belonging to the Meitei and Kuki communities. He requested Modi to come to the ethnic strife-affected state to offer solace to the people.
"The PM should have visited the state long back. It is important that he visit Manipur. I request him to come to Manipur and try and understand what is happening here... It will comfort the people. Congress is ready to support anything that would improve the situation," he said at a press conference.
Describing what happened in Manipur as a "tremendous tragedy," Gandhi said it is his third visit to Manipur since the violence began in May 2023 but has witnessed "no improvement in the situation."
"I want to tell all the people of Manipur (that) I came here as your brother, as somebody who wants to help you, wants to work with you to bring back peace in Manipur. I am ready to do whatever I can, Congress party is ready to do whatever it can to bring back peace here," he said.
"Manipur is a proud state of the Indian Union - every patriot should reach out and help bring back peace here," the Leader of Opposition said. Rahul Gandhi also began his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from the northeastern state in January this year.
"The state is completely split in two and it is a tragedy for everybody involved. The entire state is suffering. If we start to think about peace and affection, it will be a very big step for Manipur," he said.