Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that much-needed peace in Manipur could be restored through dialogue between the two communities, which he described as the ultimate solution to the current crisis.
Interacting with young women from Gargi College and Delhi University on Tuesday, he stated that if the Government of India decided to restore peace in Manipur, it could be achieved within five minutes.
“If the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) were in power, it could be settled within hours,” he said, adding that both communities need to build bridges for the restoration of peace. The UPA was a coalition of centre-left political parties in India, primarily led by the Indian National Congress (INC), which governed the country from 2004 to 2014.
He added that the Indian Army is supposed to stop people from fighting each other. Reiterating his point, Gandhi said both communities need to build bridges for lasting peace in the state.
He accused the ruling government of lacking the intention to end the violence, noting that the Prime Minister has not visited conflict-hit Manipur in recent months.
He further expressed hope that if the UPA were in power, the situation would be resolved within hours. Gandhi emphasised that Manipur deserves peace and said that families who have lost loved ones must be taken care of.
He advocated a bottom-up approach to peacebuilding, suggesting that educated youth and civil society can help bridge divides.
Gandhi said Manipur is going through a “very difficult time” and encouraged young people to stand against injustice and empathise with the suffering of the people. He argued that peacebuilding must emerge from the middle and grassroots levels, suggesting that educated groups from both sides should organise workshops and peace initiatives.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi made multiple visits to Manipur, including relief camps in Churachandpur, Moirang, and Jiribam in 2024, where he met victims of ethnic violence.
He focused on listening to the grievances of displaced people, including women and children, and called for peace and central intervention.
Violence in Manipur erupted on May 3, 2023, claiming over 260 lives and rendering around 60,000 people homeless.