The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), led by its president and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, staged a protest march in Imphal on Wednesday, July 22, against the detention of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi by the Delhi Police during a protest in the national capital.
The Congress delegation also submitted a memorandum to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, seeking his intervention in the matter.
The march began at Congress Bhawan and proceeded towards Lok Bhawan, where the delegation met the Governor. The group included Congress Legislature Party leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh, Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam, senior MLAs and other party leaders.
A large number of Congress workers and supporters took part in the protest, raising slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi and opposing what the party described as an infringement of democratic rights.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the Governor, Ibobi Singh said Rahul Gandhi had been detained by the Delhi Police while leading a peaceful protest near the Prime Minister’s residence along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior party leaders.
According to the MPCC president, the New Delhi protest sought accountability from the Central Government over alleged examination paper leaks, irregularities in competitive examinations and police action against students protesting against the alleged failures of the BJP-led government.
Ibobi Singh described the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders as “undemocratic and unlawful” and said Congress workers, students and young people in Manipur strongly opposed the police action.
In its memorandum, the MPCC urged the Central Government to ensure the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities, hold a comprehensive parliamentary discussion on examination paper leaks and student-related issues, and withdraw all FIRs registered against students who participated in the protests in Delhi.
Ibobi Singh said the right to peaceful protest was a fundamental democratic right and urged the Central Government to uphold democratic values while ensuring accountability on issues affecting students across the country.
