Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Manipur for the first time since ethnic violence broke out two years ago, met victims of violence, including those who have been internally displaced. However, the highlight was a warm welcome PM Modi received from his "young friends", including a melodious performance.
In a video shared on the social media platform Instagram by PM Modi himself, four schoolgirls are seen singing 'Bharat Ki Beti', a song from the Bollywood movie 'Gunjan Saxena'.
The lyrics of the song are:
Ho sadke main jawaan, meri dil Janiya
(I'll sacrifice myself for you, o beloved of mine)
Main shish jhukawan, meri dil janiya
(I'll bow down to you, o beloved of mine)
Tere naam jo kar jawan kam woh
(No matter what all I do for you, it still feels less)
Tu sare jahan se pyari
(You're the dearest in the world)
Mere bharat ki beti
(You're the daughter of my India)
Hai sare jahan pe bhaari
(You're the most dominant in the world)
Mere bharat ki beti
(You're the daughter of my India)
Dil jaan hai shaan hamari
(You're our heart and our pride)
Mere bharat ki beti
(You're the daughter of my India)
Jeeti raho jeet ti raho
(May you live long and may you always win)
In a 40-second video shared online, PM Modi looks at girls in awe as they perform a melody. He then congratulates and compliments their singing.
"Bhaut sundar (very beautiful)," PM is heard saying.
"A memorable moment with my young friends in Churachandpur!" PM Modi captioned the video on Instagram.
The PM arrived in Imphal this morning. His first stop was at Churachandpur, where Kuki-Zo people live, about 61 km away from Imphal, a stronghold of the Meitei people. In Churachandpur, he met some internally displaced persons who had lost their homes in the violence.
Also Read | Manipur Violence Victims, Locals Break Down While Interacting With PM Modi
The Prime Minister greeted young children and received a bouquet and a painting from them, showed visuals before his scheduled address at the Peace Ground. PM Modi was seen wearing a hat with bird feathers that he received from one of the children during the meet-and-greet session.
PM Modi's Appeal For Peace
Ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur in 2023 between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the Kuki tribes. Over 250 people were killed in the violence. Internet services were down for months in Manipur during the initial outbreak of violence, which displaced around 60,000 people from their homes, according to government figures. Thousands of the state's residents are still unable to return home owing to ongoing tensions.
Also Read | "Urge All Outfits To Embark On Path Of Peace": PM Modi In Manipur. Top Quotes
In his address, PM Modi underlined that the central government is making efforts to "bring life back on track" in Manipur.
"For development to take root anywhere, peace is essential. In the past 11 years, many conflicts and disputes in the Northeast have been resolved. People have chosen the path of peace and given priority to development... We are satisfied that recently in the hills and valley, negotiations have taken place for agreements with different groups. These are part of the efforts of the Government of India, in which work is being done to establish peace while giving importance to dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding. I would appeal to all organisations to move forward on the path of peace and fulfil their dreams. I am with you, the Government of India is with the people of Manipur..." said PM Modi.
