Guwahati: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi travelled through strife-torn Manipur on Monday, the second day of the party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, and hoped that peace and harmony returns to the northeastern state soon.

The 6700 km long yatra, which is the second phase of last year’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, started from Thoubal in Manipur on Sunday, will travel through 15 states before ending in Mumbai on March 20.

On the second day, the journey started from Sekmai at 7:30 am after a brief flag hoisting ceremony, which was performed by Manipur Congress chief K Meghachandra. People lined up along the street as the custom-made bus, in which Gandhi is travelling, moved through Imphal Valley.

“We decided that the most powerful thing would be to start the yatra from Manipur so that the people of India could get a sense of what the people of Manipur have been through. I hope peace returns to the state soon,” Gandhi said while addressing crowds from atop the bus in Senapati.

Unlike the first campaign, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be a hybrid one, with parts of the route covered on foot and rest by bus. On Monday, Gandhi walked for some time interacting with common people, women and children.

On reaching Kangpokpi, Gandhi stopped at a roadside eatery and had tea along with other members of the yatra. He talked to the owner of the Kim Chow Hotel and inquired about business.

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“I was surprised when the bus stopped in front of our hotel and Rahul Gandhi asked whether we served tea. I just nodded my head. He stopped and had tea,” a relative of the owner told journalists.

At several places along the route cultural groups performed dances and Gandhi who was wearing a traditional half-jacket interacted with the performers and spent time getting photos clicked with them.

The Congress leader also interacted with delegations of organisations in the state inside the specially designed bus. In Kangpokpi, which is a Kuki-majority district, he interacted with several ethnic organisations to know more about the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.

“He met representatives of several civil society organisations including Committee on Tribal Unity. We raised several of our demands including separate administration for Kuki-Zo areas in Manipur. We told him that was the only was forward to end this conflict,” said a COTU representative.

Gandhi will arrive at Khuzama in Nagaland on Monday evening where he will halt for the night. He will travel through the state for the next two days before entering Assam on January 18.

Manipur has been roiled by ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May last year. The violence has claimed nearly 200 lives and displaced over 50,000 people.