Rahul Gandhi indulging in 'tragedy tourism': BJP on his Manipur visit

New Delhi: Accusing him of indulging in “tragedy tourism”, the BJP on Monday questioned Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for not visiting Manipur when violence erupted earlier during Congress rule in 2017 during Congress CM Ibobi Singh’s tenure.

In a series of posts on X, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya questioned Gandhi’s intent and alleged that the sole purpose of the visit was to serve as a “photo op”. 

“Why did Rahul Gandhi not visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17 to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govt’s decision to pass three Bills … which were seen by the people of Churachandpur district, comprising mostly of Paites and Kukis, as ‘anti-Tribal’, and a ‘conspiracy’ by the majority Meitei community to grab Tribal land,” Malviya asked in a post. 

The three bills – the Protection of Manipur People’s Bill 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill 2015 — had led to a long spate of violence leading to the death of nine tribal people whose bodies were not buried for more than 600 days as a mark of protest. 

“Nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years. Why didn’t Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then …He is no messiah of peace, just a political opportunist, who wants to keep the pot boiling,” Malviya said, adding that Gandhi’s visit to Manipur is not due to concern for people but to serve “selfish political agenda”. 

In another post he listed the casualties in earlier instances of strife in the state – the death of 300 people in 1990, 1100 people in 1993, 400 in 1997, 95 people in 2001, 140 people in 2003, 105 people in 2005, 200 people in 2008, 220 in 2010 and 165 people in 2012.

Responding to Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh statement that this is Gandhi’s third visit to Manipur since the strife began fourteen months ago, Malviya asked in the post, “... did any Congress leader, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was a member of Rajya Sabha from Assam, visit the strife torn region,”