'PM Modi wants Manipur to stay on fire', says Rahul

Jaipur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan on World Tribal Day on Wednesday, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants Manipur to keep burning, adding the BJP's ideology has killed the spirit of Mother India in Manipur.

Addressing the gathering, he said that the tribals were the first owners of India.

"This is our land, which we call India today... this land was the land of tribals. This was told to me by my grandmother Indira Gandhi, but the BJP calls tribals 'Vanvasi'. This is an insult to the tribals and Mother India," he said.

Regarding the violence in Manipur, Rahul Gandhi said that the Prime Minister wants Manipur to keep burning.

"The Prime Minister wants the fire to keep burning in Manipur. It has been three months, it seems that Manipur is not a part of the country at all. I went to the relief camp. The leader of the opposition went but the PM did not. He did not say a word about Manipur," the Congress MP said.

The former Congress president further said "wherever the people of BJP go, they try to suppress the voice of India".

"BJP's thinking has set Manipur on fire. Manipur has been on fire for months. Bharat Mata was murdered in Manipur. BJP's ideology has killed Mother India," he added.

Besides, addressing the tribals, Rahul Gandhi said: "The BJP says that you are not the owner of the country, you are the people living in the jungle. They call you 'Vanvasi' and hand over the forest to the industrialists. They want to finish the forest gradually, and you will be left nowhere."

Describing the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government's Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme as the 'best health scheme' in the country, Rahul Gandhi said "we run the government for the poor".

Earlier, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for the development of Mangarh Dham.

Addressing the gathering, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said the Central government is failing on every front.