Rahul Gandhi likely to take chopper after convoy stopped by cops in Manipur

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday was stopped by Manipur Police about 20 kilometres from Imphal near Bishnupur as the cops feared violence along the route. After arriving in Imphal, Rahul Gandhi was on his way to Churachandpur where his convoy was stopped. At Churachandpur, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet the people at the camp, displaced by the ethnic clash in the state. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said cops were not allowing Rahul Gandhi's car to proceed while people standing on the sides were waving to him. "We are not able to understand why they have stopped us," Venugopal said. Gandhi is likely to take chopper from Imphal to Churachandpur

Ahead of Rahul Gandhi's Manipur visit, the All Manipur Students Union' issued a statement condemning the successive governments in the state. "The present communal crisis in Manipur is a result of the political blunders that have been committed by the successive governments that have ruled Manipur over time and Congress has a big role to play," the union said. "In 2012, the Congress party deleted four Gram Panchayats and one Zila Parishad constituency which were part of the Imphal West district from the Manipur Panchayati Raj system and they were allotted to come under the autonomous district council of Kangopi district. It had further enhanced the dreamland of Kuki nation state," the students' union said in its statement.

“Rahul Gandhi was going to meet the victims of Manipur violence. The BJP government stopped them on the way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. The people in power have a strong hatred for peace, love and brotherhood. But they should remember... This country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love,” the Congress tweeted.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinare said Rahul Gandhi was simply carrying the message of peace and love but the BJP was scared. "The Manipur Govt which has failed to protect people and control the violence in the state has stopped Shri Rahul Gandhi’s convoy - under instructions from the Modi govt. What are they scared of? Rahul ji is simply carrying the message of peace, love, healing and humanity," Shrinate tweeted.

Several BJP supporters questioned Rahul Gandhi's Manipur visit since he is not an MP anymore while BJP's Amit Malviya asked why Rahul Gandhi never visited Manipur between 2015 and 2017 when there was ethnic violence.

The situation in Manipur is tense as there have been clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities.