Rahul Gandhi begins 2-day visit to strife-torn Manipur
Convoy stopped by police at Bishnupur
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Imphal (PTI): After arriving at Imphal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi left for Manipur's Churachandpur, where he will meet people displaced by the ethnic strife at relief camps on Thursday.
State Congress officials told PTI that Gandhi will also interact with civil society representatives, intellectuals and others in the course of his two-day visit.
"The aim of the trip is to bring a healing touch to those who have been affected by the ethnic strife in Manipur," a senior Congress office bearer in the state said.
Around 50,000 people are now staying in over 300 relief camps across the state since ethnic strife started in May this year.
On Friday, Gandhi is scheduled to visit relief camps in Imphal and hold talks with certain civil society organisations, Congress sources said.
Dr. Ajoy Kumar, Congress in charge of Manipur, had told PTI Video before the visit started, "The government should listen to the people... The Biren Singh government should be removed."
Rahul Gandhi's convoy was, however, stopped by the Manipur police at Bishnupur, about 20 kilometres from Imphal, officials said.
Police officials said the convoy was stopped fearing violence along the route.
Congress office bearers are speaking with the police and army authorities to ensure safe passage for their party leader.
More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.
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FTII’s Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know qualifies for Oscars 2025
Bengaluru: The Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, directed by Chidananda S. Naik, has officially qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards, announced the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday. The film has earned a spot in the Live Action Short Film category.
The film was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Earlier this year, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know won the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef Selection, a platform for emerging filmmakers. The La Cinef Jury at Cannes lauded the film for its exceptional storytelling and direction, with the jury describing it as "an illumination that, from the depths of the night, shines with humour and a keen sense of direction."
Film director Naik stated, “I have aspired to tell this story for as long as I can remember. Our goal was to recreate the experience of not merely hearing these stories but of genuinely living them–an experience I hope resonates with audiences around the globe.”
The 15-minute film is based on Kannada folk tale about an old woman who steals the village rooster, leading to a cessation of sunlight and resulting in turmoil within the community. In an effort to restore order, a prophecy is invoked, resulting in the exile of the woman’s family as they undertake a desperate mission to retrieve the rooster.
The film’s team includes Suraj Thakur as the cinematographer, Manoj V. as the editor and Abhishek Kadam for sound design.
The 97th Academy Awards will take place in March 2025.
