Manipur denies permission to Congress to launch Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

'Unfavourable situation' in Manipur were cited as the reason for the rejection of Congress rally ahead of the Lok Sabha elections

The Manipur government declined to give permission to the Congress party to launch their Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at Hapta Kangjeibung, in Imphal East. Congress State President Keisham Meghachandra cited security concerns from the state government when addressing reporters during a press conference on Wednesday.

Meghachandra said, "Chief Minister Biren Singh cited the current unfavourable situation in Manipur as the reason to decline their request to launch the rally."

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was slated to commence from Manipur on January 14 and is expected to end on March 20 in Mumbai, tracking an east-to-west rally for the party ahead of the 2024 General Elections. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is leading the movement and would have been flagged off by Congress president Malik Arjun Kharge on Sunday.

On Tuesday evening, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal told reporters during a press conference that Manipur had been chosen as the starting point for the rally to help "heal the wounds" of people affected by the ethnic violence. He also added that the state government had handed the application to the central government to give approval due to security concerns in the state.

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"The Congress's Manipur unit had applied to the chief secretary for the permission a week back. Today, they are telling us that they cannot give the sanction, and our application has gone to Delhi for approval," he said. Adding, "Is it the duty of the central government to give approval to a political party meeting?"

Defending the rally, Venugopal said, "In a democratic system, every political party has the right to hold demonstrations. This Yatra is not even a political programme and is not connected to elections. It is to ask the government to give justice to the poor, the women and the youths of the nation," he maintained.

The party had submitted its request on January 2, after hearing no response, Meghachandra went to meet with Chief Minister N Biren Singh personally.

In light of the most recent development, Meghachandra stated that the party will launch the event at a private venue.