Sunita, dressed in a gorgeous Manipuri silk phanek, was part of a group of women outside the Khongjom war memorial in Thoubal, around 45 minutes out of Imphal. With a toothy, paan-stained smile, the 47-year-old said she had come to present a traditional Manipuri scarf to Rahul Gandhi. The Congress leader was running late as his flight from Delhi got delayed because of fog. Eventually, he did arrive, and began his east-to-west Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from the war memorial on January 14. Sunita, a Meitei who came from Imphal, was happy Rahul was back in Manipur. She recalled his visit last June, when the state was torn by ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and the Kukis.
“We truly love and respect Rahul Gandhi for coming to Manipur and sharing our pain. At least he has tried to provide a healing touch,” she said. “Life is not the same anymore. There is an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. We are not even celebrating our festivals the way we used to.”
Above the Imphal valley, in the hilly district of Senapati, 60-year-old Eben Haokip walked from her village to the market square to listen to Rahul. The vegetable seller did not understand what he said, but had faith he meant well and had come with a message of peace. Among the cheers for Rahul were also slogans demanding a separate administration for the region where Kukis live.
Rahul’s yatra, a sequel to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, started with him holding meetings with both Meitei and Kuki representatives, assuring them that the Manipur issue would be taken up in Delhi.
“Manipur was chosen because it would be a reflection of our concern for what has happened in the state in the past eight months,” said Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications.
This story is from the January 28, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the January 28, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
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