After Meeting Flood Victims in Assam, Rahul Gandhi Reaches Manipur's Jiribam

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, reached Assam to meet flood victims on Monday, and then went to Manipur for the rest of the day. Gandhi will end his visit with a press conference at the Congress office in the violence-hit state.

His visit the two northeastern states started around 10 am, where he first met flood victims at relief camps in Assam’s Cachar district.

The leader then reached Manipur’s Jiribam at 10.45 am. Gandhi is likely to visit similar camps in Churachandpur and Moirang. Around 5.30 pm, he is scheduled to meet the Manipur governor at the Raj Bhavan and will end the visit with a press briefing at the state Congress office.

Gandhi will arrive at the Kumbhigram airport at Silchar in the Cachar district on the way to Manipur. “From the airport, he will be going to a flood relief camp in Lakhipur and interact with the people who have taken shelter there,” a state Congress spokesperson said, adding that the camp is on the route that he will take to the Jiribam district in Manipur.

About 22.70 lakh people in 28 districts of Assam were affected by the floods. A total of 78 people have been killed this year floods, landslides and storms in the state.

The Congress MP will return to Silchar airport from Jiribam, and fly to Imphal for the next leg of his Manipur tour. This will be his first visit to the northeast after becoming the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. He has, however, visited Manipur twice since the outbreak of violence last year.

According to officials, there is tight security ahead of Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Manipur with authorities imposing a ban on aerial photography using drones. A notification by the Jiribam district magistrate on Sunday (July 7) said as part of enhanced security measures, aerial photography or videography through drones, balloons, or any other means is strictly prohibited. It further stated that violations of this order will result in legal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and other relevant provisions of the law.

In preparation for his day-long visit to Manipur, a team of state Congress leaders, including working president Victor Keishing and AICC Manipur in-charge Girish Chodankar, inspected relief camps where Gandhi is likely to visit.

“Gandhi has chosen to visit Manipur at a time when peace is essential. We appreciate his decision to visit the state after assuming the role of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” a Congress leader told PTI.

According to Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra, Gandhi’s itinerary involves flying from Delhi to Silchar, then proceeding to Jiribam district where fresh violence was reported on June 6. The Congress leader plans to visit several relief camps in the district before returning to Silchar airport and flying to Imphal.

(With PTI inputs)