𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 “𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿’𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁” 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶’𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 “𝗣𝗠 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀.”

Congress youth leaders in Manipur staged a dramatic protest in Imphal today against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the violence-hit state.

Holding up a portrait depicting a “burning Manipur,” the demonstrators attempted to march towards Kangla Fort, where the Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive shortly, but were detained by police before they could reach the venue.

The protest began at the Congress Bhavan in Imphal, where youth leaders assembled with the symbolic portrait meant to be presented to the Prime Minister.

The police swiftly intervened, containing the march and detaining several Congress workers inside the party office.

Chanting slogans, the protesters branded Narendra Modi as the “most merciless Prime Minister of India” and Home Minister Amit Shah as the “most merciless Home Minister.”

They alleged that Modi’s two-year silence during Manipur’s prolonged ethnic strife amounted to indifference to the suffering of the people.

The Prime Minister, who travelled by road from Imphal to Churachandpur earlier in the day, is expected to visit Kangla Fort later today.

The Congress youth leaders accused the government of attempting to suppress their peaceful protest and said their act was a reminder of the pain and devastation still haunting Manipur.