We hope PM speaks in Parliament soon on Manipur situation: Farooq Abdullah

J&K National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah along with Muslim devotees takes part in a procession on the tenth day of the mourning period of Muharram, in Srinagar, Saturday, July 29, 2023. PTI Photo

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said opposition parties want peace in strife-torn Manipur and hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks in Parliament soon on the situation in the state.

A delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition bloc INDIA reached Imphal on Saturday to assess the ground situation in the state. They will visit several relief camps to meet with victims of the ethnic clashes that broke in the northeastern state on May 3, PTI reported.

"A delegation of the opposition has gone to Manipur. When they return, we will get to know from them about the situation there," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters.

"We want peace to be established there so that those who live there can live in peace and the communal fight which has started be stopped. We should try to live together. A solution will come only when all the communities there live with dignity," the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar said.

Referring to the recent video of two women being paraded in Manipur, Abdullah said he could not get himself to watch it.

"God knows how many more are getting killed there. We should pray to God to rid us of this difficult time. We hope that the prime minister speaks soon in Parliament so that Parliament functions smoothly," he said.

Also read: In Photos: J&K LG Manoj Sinha joins Muharram procession on Ashura in Srinagar

On the Jammu and Kashmir administration allowing the Muharram procession in the city for the first time in 35 years, the NC president said there was no reason not to allow it before but "some of our very own people were against it".

"We wanted this to happen earlier as well. When I was chief minister, I wanted this to take place, but some of our very own people were against it. I do not want to name them, they have passed away. Otherwise, what was the reason that it was not allowed?

"I also joined the procession. I went from Abi Guzar to Qatalgah. I saw the difficulties they faced. Everyone "Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs" greeted this procession. I used to hold Zuljanah. I thank God that it was restarted but the Zuljanah is still not allowed (on the traditional route)," Abdullah said.

"God willing, when the people's government will be here, Zoljanah will be taken out on the traditional route in a grand way," he added. (PTI)