The visit had been speculated for several days
- The PM will lay the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore in Churachandpur
- He will then head to the state capital, Imphal, and inaugurate projects there
- Churachandpur is Kuki-dominated while the Meiteis are in a majority in Imphal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Manipur tomorrow for his first visit since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023, the state's chief secretary has confirmed.
The visit had been speculated for several days, but there had been no official announcement until now.
Addressing reporters on Friday, Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel said PM Modi would arrive in Churachandpur district from Aizawl in Mizoram around 12.30 pm, interact with people who were displaced by the clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities, lay the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 7,300 crore which would be taken up across the state and address a gathering at the Peace Ground.
The choice of Churachandpur is significant because the district was among the worst hit by the violence, which claimed at least 260 lives and left thousands displaced.
From Churachandpur, the Prime Minister will travel to the state's capital Imphal around 2.30 pm, where he will inaugurate projects worth Rs 1,200 crore and also address a public function.
While Churachandpur is Kuki-dominated, Meiteis are in a majority in Imphal, thus balancing the signals sent out in the politically significant visit.
"The visit of the honourable Prime Minister will pave the way for peace, normalcy and accelerated growth in the state... On behalf of the state government and the government of India, I request the people of Manipur to come forward in welcoming the PM to the state and participate in the programmes in large numbers," Mr Goel said.
Opposition Criticism
The violence had begun in Manipur on May 3, 2023, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status and the opposition has been attacking the Prime Minister for not visiting the state since then.
The opposition had also moved a no-confidence motion in August 2023 and tried to corner the Centre on the Manipur issue, but the government had pushed back and highlighted the failures of the Congress in the northeast when it was in power. PM Modi had also assured the people of Manipur that the country was with them and a path to peace would be found soon.
When the visit was being speculated, some Congress leaders had said that since it was happening more than two years after the violence began, it was "too little, too late". On Friday, Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra said the visit is "merely symbolic".
"I take the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as merely symbolic. People who have been suffering for months, including internally displaced persons staying in relief camps, had expected a concrete roadmap for peace, rehabilitation, and justice... It would have been better if they had let it be known that the visit was related to bringing peace and justice. Very upset with the absence of discussions with all stakeholders," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
