Rahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS, Says 'They Will Burn Manipur, Entire Country For Power'

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and said that they will 'burn' Manipur and the entire country for power. Addressing a Youth Congress programme virtually, he said that the BJP-RSS are only interested in power and are working towards dividing the country as they do not care about the sorrow and pain of people.

"The BJP-RSS only want power and can do anything to get power. For power, they will burn Manipur, they will burn the entire country. They don't care about the sorrow and pain of the country," Rahul Gandhi said.

Be it Haryana, Punjab, or Uttar Pradesh, they will 'sell' the entire country as they only want power, he added. 

BJP-RSS सिर्फ सत्ता चाहती है और सत्ता पाने के लिए ये कुछ भी कर सकती है।

सत्ता के लिए ये मणिपुर को जला देंगे, सारे देश को जला देंगे।

इनको देश के दुख और दर्द से कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता।

: @RahulGandhi जी pic.twitter.com/7Cp7cWXsjX — Congress (@INCIndia) July 27, 2023

"For the Congress, this is the fight," he said.

He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not doing anything for Manipur as he knows that their 'ideology has burnt' the state.

प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी मणिपुर के लिए क्या कर रहे हैं?

वे मणिपुर के बारे में कुछ बोल क्यों नहीं रहे हैं?

ऐसा इसलिए है क्योंकि नरेंद्र मोदी जी को मणिपुर से कोई लेना देना नहीं है।

वो जानते हैं कि उनकी ही विचारधारा ने मणिपुर को जलाया है।

: @RahulGandhi जी pic.twitter.com/Hj8jF6Orrp — Congress (@INCIndia) July 27, 2023

"On one side, you are sitting and you have love for the country and whenever the country is hurt or its citizens are hurt, you will also get hurt and you will be sad. But they do not have any such feelings in their heart. The RSS-BJP people do not feel any pain. Because they do the work of dividing the country," Rahul told the Indian Youth Congress workers. 

Wherever they (BJP) spread hatred, go and open a shop of love there, he said while referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra slogan 'Nafrat ke bazaar me mohabbat ki dukaan kholni hai' (to open a shop of love in the market of hatred).

The Opposition has been demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in ethnic strife-torn Manipur, followed by a full-fledged discussion on it.

MPs from Opposition bloc INDIA to visit Manipur on July 29

MPs from the Opposition alliance Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are scheduled to visit Manipur on July 29 and 30 to assess the situation in the northeastern state.

A delegation of over 20 Opposition members of parliament will visit Manipur this weekend and will take a first-hand account of the situation in the state, Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said.

Violence broke out in Manipur nearly three months ago

Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.

The violence erupted on May 3 after 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 mainly in the hill districts.