PM Modi should come to Manipur to give solace to violence-affected people: Rahul Gandhi

Imphal (Manipur): Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur and suggested PM Modi to listen to the people of the state as it will provide "comfort" to the people of Manipur.

Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said that the Indian government and everybody who considers himself a "patriot" must reach out and "embrace" the people of Manipur and bring peace to Manipur."

"I feel that it is important that the Prime Minister should come here to listen to the people of Manipur and try to understand what is going on in Manipur after all. Manipur is a proud state of the Indian Union and it is very important that the Prime Minister especially, even if it was not a tragedy then also the Prime Minister should have come here.

In this huge tragedy, I request the Prime Minister to take one day, or two days of his time and just listen to the people of Manipur. It will provide comfort to the people of the state. We as the Congress party ready to support anything that improves the situation," Rahul Gandhi said.

PM Modi, during his address in the Rajya Sabha last week, reaffirmed that the central government is making efforts to normalise the situation in Manipur.

"The government is continuously making efforts to normalise the situation in Manipur. More than 11,000 FIRs have been registered and over 500 people have been arrested. Incidents of violence are continuously reducing in Manipur," PM Modi said.

He further said that the central and state governments are establishing interactions with all stakeholders to restore peace.

"Today, schools, colleges, offices and other institutions are open in the state. The central and state governments are talking to all stakeholders to restore peace," the Prime Minister added.

Violence erupted in the northeastern state on May 3 last year following clashes during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.