New Delhi (PTI): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will stage a protest here on Tuesday over the situation in strife-torn Manipur and against alleged incidents of brutality against women in the northeastern state.

The protest will be staged at Jantar Mantar.

"The Aam Aadmi Party will hold a peaceful protest at 4 pm on Tuesday at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the increasing violence and brutality against women in Manipur. All friends are appealed to reach Jantar Mantar at 4 pm," AAP's Delhi state convenor Gopal Rai said in a tweet in Hindi.

More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi Friday called for creating a system in which people's skills get their due and everyone's contribution is respected, as he shared a Diwali video in which he interacts with paint job workers and potters.

Posting the over nine-minute video which features him also having a conversation with his nephew Raihan Rajiv Vadra on YouTube, the former Congress chief said, "A memorable Diwali with special people - I celebrated this Diwali working with some painter brothers and making earthen diyas with a potter family."

"I saw their work closely, tried to learn their skills and understood their difficulties and problems. They don't go home. We celebrate festivals happily and to earn some money, they forget their village, city, family," Gandhi said.

"They make happiness from clay. While lighting up the festivals of others, are they able to live in light themselves? Those who build houses can hardly run their own houses!" he said.

Gandhi said Diwali means light that can remove the darkness of poverty and helplessness.

"We have to create such a system -- in which people's skills get their due and contribution is respected -- makes everyone's Diwali a happy one. I hope this Diwali brings prosperity, progress and love in the lives of all of you," he said.

In the video, Gandhi is seen working with labourers at the 10 Janpath residence and learning to paint walls along with his nephew. In the second part of the video, Gandhi goes to the house of a woman who makes earthen lamps with her five daughters.

Gandhi tries his hand at pottery and makes 'diyas', which he says he would give to his mother and sister.

Since his Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra and his Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Gandhi has been interacting with a cross-section of people from mechanics and cobblers to labourers and bus drivers.

He often posts videos of his numerous interactions and highlights the plight of various sections of society.