Manipur govt yet to give permission to use ground in Imphal for Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

Imphal, Jan 9 (IANS) The BJP government in Manipur is yet to give permission to use the Hapta Kangjeibung ground in Imphal East district for the launch of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by former party President Rahul Gandhi on January 14.

A Congress leader on Tuesday said that when the party leaders on Monday met Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi and requested him to provide permission to hold the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra launching meeting at the Hapta Kangjeibung ground, the Chief Secretary assured them that the government will inform them about the permission by Monday evening itself.

“We have applied to the government on January 2 seeking permission for the launching of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal. The party is yet to decide the next course of action if the state government does not allow us to hold the meeting at the Hapta Kangjeibung ground on January 14,” he said.

AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal (Organisation) on Tuesday once again held a preparatory meeting to launch the ambitious Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from the trouble torn state.

Manipur state Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh, former three-term Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh (2002-2017), AICC Manipur in-charge Girish Chodankar, Congres Working Committee member Gaikhangam and other leaders attended the meeting and visited Hapta Kangjeibung to assess the ground’s suitability.

Venugopal said that from Manipur, the Yatra will go to Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and will reach Mumbai on March 20 by covering 6,500 km in 15 states.

Manipur state Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh said that on January 14 several leaders of the party, including chief ministers and MPs from across the country will gather in Manipur for a peaceful rally.

Claiming that the Yatra is not a political programme or any election campaign, Venugopal said it demands justice for the women, youth, farmers and poor and this Yatra will be historic as well.

“Manipur needs justice, that’s why the Yatra will be started from this state. We want to ensure the future of Manipur and the state needs healing,” Venugopal told the media.

He said that Rahul Gandhi’s earlier Bharat Jodo Yatra, which covered 4,500 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, evoked tremendous success and got unprecedented public response.

The Congress Rajya Sabha member said that no political party and no political leader in India conducted such a historic campaign.

AICC member and Manipur Congress spokesman Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said on the X: “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Manipur will bring justice to the entire people of Manipur. It is, indeed, an honest step to humanity with love and tranquility from our leader Rahul Gandhi.”

Manipur is devastated by over eight month long ethnic violence between the non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki-Zo community and over 185 people have been killed and over 1,500 people injured and displaced over 70,000 people of both communities so far.

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