Continuing violence in Manipur disturbing, needs to be stopped immediately: Rahul Gandhi
Kozhikode (Kerala), Aug 13: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the continuing violence in the northeastern state of Manipur is disturbing and needs to be stopped immediately.
The MP from Wayanad said the violence in the state was a direct result of a particular type of politics of division, hatred and anger.
"So, it is important to keep everyone together as a family," said Gandhi, who was on a two-day visit to Kerala and will return to Delhi tonight.
He said everyone has to come together to not only help Manipur heal, but also "ensure this new unpleasant type of politics does not spread and is stopped in its tracks".
Speaking after laying the foundation stone of the Community Disability Management Center (CDMC) at St Joseph High School Auditorium in Kodenchery here, Gandhi said he has been disturbed for the last few months ever since he visited Manipur.
"I saw with my own eyes what happened there and what has been done to the people of Manipur. In my 19 years of political life, I have never experienced what I experienced in Manipur.
"It is as if one person has been torn into two pieces. It is like someone has torn one whole state of the union. The violence, rape and killing just continues. So, it is important that the violence (in Manipur) is stopped immediately," he said.
Gandhi further said that the wounds inflicted as a result of the violence would take many years to heal.
"The sadness and anger will not go away so easily," he added.
He said the violence in Manipur was a lesson to him on what happens when you use politics of division, hatred and anger in a state.
"It is a direct result of a particular type of politics where you divide the country and spread hatred and anger. So, it is important to keep everyone together as family," he said.
On Saturday, he had launched a stinging attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by accusing him of not addressing the problem of Manipur even during the debate on the violence in the northeastern state in the Parliament a few days ago.
Lashing out at Modi, Gandhi had said the BJP and the government led by it "murdered the idea of India" in Manipur.
Gandhi's visit to Kerala is the first one after his reinstatement as MP of Wayanad and he is scheduled to depart for Delhi from Calicut International airport at around 10.30 PM. He arrived in the state on Saturday.
Prior to sharing his views about the violence in Manipur, he spoke about the CMDC and how it will help the differently-abled children.
Gandhi said that everyone has a special ability or unique strength within them which society does not allow them to discover.
"These kinds of centres should try to discover the unique strengths of such children," he said.
The Wayanad MP also said that the centre would carry out "early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation" with regard to disabled and differently-abled children.
He said he was happy and honoured to give Rs 55 lakh from his MPLADS fund to the CMDC and looked forward to helping them in any way he can in future.
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Money-dispute angle emerges in Delhi bus gangrape case
New Delhi (PTI): Police probing the alleged gangrape of a 30-year-old woman inside a private sleeper bus in Outer Delhi have found that there was a dispute over money between the victim and the accused, sources said on Friday.
The woman was allegedly dragged inside the bus and raped by the driver and the conductor in the Mangolpuri area here on May 11. Both the accused were arrested the following day.
According to the police sources, the woman, in her complaint, has stated that there was a dispute over money with the accused.
The sources also said that one of the accused did not flee the spot after the incident and the victim later used his mobile phone to call police.
The woman has also told police that her husband is suffering from a medical condition and is unable to work. The couple have four children and she has been working to support the family, the sources said.
Police are probing the case from all angles and have already seized the bus. CCTV footage from the route taken by the vehicle on the day of the incident is also being examined.
The case was registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) dealing with rape and gangrape, police said.
