Guwahati: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a chopper to Churachandpur in Manipur on Thursday after his convoy was stopped by the police in the Bishnupur area ‘fearing violence’.
Gandhi had to stop at Bishnupur, around 20 kilometres from Imphal, after police halted his convoy fearing attacks on it.
According to reports, Rahul Gandhi took a state government-provided chopper to visit Churachandpur. Top police and administration officials accompanied him in the helicopter.
After reaching Churachandpur which has been worst-hit by the weeks-long violence, Gandhi visited the relief camps to take stock of the situation and interact with the displaced people.
“I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It’s very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority,” Gandhi said in a tweet.
Congress leader Gandhi, who was on a two-day visit to strife-torn Manipur from Thursday, came back to the Imphal airport from Bishnupru and boarded the helicopter.
Manipur Congress chief Keisham Meghachandra said Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Moirang was cancelled as the administration did not permit him to come to Moirang – neither by road nor by air.