Congress sets up 'fact-finding' team for in-depth study of Manipur violence

Imphal, May 18 (IANS) The Congress, which had dubbed the violence in Manipur "pre-planned" and demanded immediate imposition of President's Rule in the BJP-ruled state, has constituted a three-member 'fact-finding' team to study the violence in the state, ascertain the causes of widespread hostilities, and evaluate its extent.

A Congress leader in Imphal said on Thursday that the party President Mallikarjun Kharge has constituted the three-member team, comprising party General Secretary Mukul Wasnik, in-charge for Tripura, Sikkim, and Nagaland Dr. Ajoy Kumar and party's Tripura MLA Sudip Roy Barman to visit Manipur.

The team would study the Manipur situation in coordination with the state in-charge Bhakta Charan Das, state President K. Meghachandra Singh and three-time former Chief Minister and incumbent Congress Legislator Party leader Okram Ibobi Singh.

Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal in a statement said that the 'fact-finding' team would submit its report to the Congress President at the earliest.

Das last week visited Manipur and compared the valley-based organisations Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bajrang Dal."The condition in Manipur is visible to the country and world and I have been working in Manipur for the last three years. There are two areas -- hill area and the valley area," Das had said and demanded immediate imposition of President's Rule in the state.

The ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3 claimed the lives of at least 73 people and injured 250 others, while 1,800 houses were destroyed besides a large number of government and private properties were also damaged.

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