Rahul Gandhi's Planned Trip To Violence-Hit Manipur: Union Home Ministry Permission Not Sought?

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Tuesday (27 June) announced that party leader Rahul Gandhi will visit violence-hit Manipur on 29 and 30 June.

During his two-day visit, he will meet people in relief camps and interact with civil society members.

This will be the first visit of the Congress leader to the state, which has been embroiled in ethnic violence since early May.

"Rahul Gandhi ji will be visiting Manipur on 29-30 June. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit," Venugopal said in a tweet.

He stated that Manipur had been burning for nearly two months and was in desperate need of a healing touch to facilitate the transition from conflict to peace within society.

"This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate," Venugopal said.

Rahul has not sought any permission from the Union Home Ministry as there is no travel ban to the state, according to the sources cited by The Indian Express.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier last month reportedly sought permission from the Home Ministry to visit the state in the last week of May but there was no response.