PM Modi visited Manipur on Saturday, his first trip since the 2023 ethnic violence, meeting displaced families in Churachandpur and launching development projects, even as the opposition criticised the trip as delayed and symbolic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met people displaced by the ethnic clashes in Manipur’s Churachandpur, his first visit to the state since the violence broke out in May 2023. The conflict, mainly between the Meitei community of the valley and the hill-dominant Kuki-Zo tribes, has killed over 260 people and displaced nearly 60,000.
Braving heavy rain, the Prime Minister travelled 65 km by road from Imphal to Churachandpur, where he interacted with children and elderly staying in relief camps at Peace Ground. He was accompanied by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
Churachandpur, largely inhabited by Kuki-Zo people, was the epicentre of the unrest that began after protests against the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Since then, violence has erupted in phases, forcing former Chief Minister N Biren Singh to resign and leading to President’s Rule in February this year.
During the visit, Modi also laid foundation stones for 14 development projects worth over ₹7,300 crore, including drainage systems, women’s hostels, schools and advanced healthcare facilities.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Imphal, the Meitei-majority region, where he will meet displaced families and inaugurate projects worth ₹1,200 crore. He will also address a gathering at the historic Kangla Fort, once the seat of the Manipur kingdom.
Officials said the visit underscores Manipur’s role as a key link in India’s Act East policy. “Manipur is not just a border state but a gateway to Southeast Asia and a proud guardian of India’s diversity,” Chief Secretary Puneet Goel said.
The opposition, however, slammed the trip as “too little, too late”. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister’s arrival after more than two years was “not a big deal”. Party leader Jairam Ramesh called the three-hour stopover “an insult” to the people of Manipur, adding that it would do little to heal wounds.