"Visit Of INDIA Coalition MPs To Manipur Will Do Good": Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today that the proposed visit of MPs from the opposition coalition INDIA to ethnic violence-hit Manipur "will do good".

Speaking in the Assembly, Ms Banerjee said she had also sought permission from the Centre for a visit to Manipur, but it had been denied.

"A team of INDIA is visiting Manipur. It'll do good. Let them go and see the situation themselves, talk to the people there, and listen to them. I had written to them (Centre) to allow me to go, but I was not given permission," she said.

A team of MPs from the INDIA front will be visiting Manipur on July 29-30 to understand the current situation there.

Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.

The violence erupted on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53% of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40% and reside mainly in the hill districts. 

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