Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday said that it was a tradition in Manipuri culture to remove shoes while entering somebody’s house. The Manipur chief minister was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark about a Manipuri delegation being asked to remove their shoes before entering Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi.
"It’s an aged old tradition in Manipuri culture to remove our shoes while we enter somebody’s house. Those lapdogs spreading it to be some form of insult are oblivious to Manipuri culture. Mr Rahul Gandhi may kindly take note of some Manipuri culture before speaking about Manipur," CM Biren tweeted.
On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi in his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha claimed that a Manipuri delegation was insulted by the Home Minister.
"A few days ago, some political leaders, I'm not gonna name, came to me from Manipur. And he was very 'agitated'. I spoke to him and said why are you agitated, my brother? And he says, Rahulji, I have never felt that insulted as I have a few days ago. I said why. He said, Rahulji, a delegation of Manipuri political leaders, senior leaders went to see the Home Minister. Outside his house, we were told to remove shoes and when we went inside his room, we found that the Home Minister was wearing his chappal. What does this mean? What exactly does this mean? Why is it that in the Home Minister's house the home minister can wear chappal but a delegation team of Manipur can't," the Congress leader had asked.
Meanwhile, Manipur Works Minister Th Biswajit Singh also hit back at the Congress leader, saying a person who "admires Italy" would never understand India's culture.
"For a person who admires #ITALY will never understand India's Culture! Dear #RahulGandhi STOP Misleading the Nation! Spare Manipur & try your techniques somewhere else! With every such steps you are inching closer to #CongressMukhtManipur," Biswajit wrote on Twitter.
It may be mentioned that Manipur will go to polls in two phases- on February 27 and March 3 and counting of votes will take place on March 10.
