In his first visit to Manipur since ethnic violence erupted in the state in 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday appealed to all organisations involved in the conflict to "choose the path of peace."
The Prime Minister, who has come under fire from the opposition for refusing to visit the violence-hit state for over two years, assured the people of Manipur that his government will make "every possible effort" to restore peace in the region.
Addressing a gathering at Churachandpur, a stronghold of Kuki community, Modi said, "I would appeal to all organisations to move forward on the path of peace and fulfil their dreams. Today, I promise you that I am with you, the Government of India is with you, the people of Manipur."
"We are satisfied that recently in the hills and valleys, 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, " he said.
"The Government of India is making every possible effort to bring life back on track in Manipur. For families who have lost their homes, our government is helping to build 7,000 new houses," he added.
The ethnic violence, triggered by a court order granting Scheduled Tribe status for the dominant Meitei community, killed over 260 people and left thousands homeless.
The violence also displaced more than 60,000 people, nearly 40,000 from the Kuki Zo community and around 20,000 Meiteis.
The Prime Minister, whose party has been accused of siding with one of the groups for political gains during the conflict, said that it is "unfortunate" that violence has engulfed the "beautiful" region.
"The land of Manipur is a land of hope and aspiration. Unfortunately, violence had cast its shadow on this beautiful region. A short while ago, I met those affected who are living in relief camps. After meeting them, I can say with confidence that a new dawn of hope and trust is rising in Manipur," he said.
Announcing several developemental projects for the state, PM Modi said, "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..."
Noting the various initiatives taken by his government for the development of the state, Modi said that earlier decisions made in Delhi took decades to reach here, but now Manipur was progressing along with the rest of the nation.
"Earlier, good schools and hospitals in the Hills and tribal areas were only a dream. Today, with the efforts of the Centre, this situation is changing. In Churachandpur, a medical college has now been established," he said.
"Even decades after Independence, Manipur's Hill region did not have a single medical college. It is our government that has fulfilled this need. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Centre is providing free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh. In Manipur alone, more than 2.5 lakh patients have received free treatment under this scheme," he said.
The PM said that India was developing very rapidly and was soon going to become the world's third-largest economy.
"I want to ensure that the fruits of development reach every corner of the country," he said.
"We built permanent houses for the poor across the country. Thousands of families in Manipur have also benefited from this scheme. In Manipur, seven to eight years back, water came through pipes to only 25-30,000 houses. Today, more than 3. 5 lakh houses here are receiving the facility," he said.
The Prime Minister inaugurated 17 development projects worth Rs 1,203 crore in Imphal and laid the foundation stone for additional projects valued at over Rs 7,344 crore in Churachandpur.
"These projects will further improve the lives of the people of Manipur, especially the people living in the Hills," he said.
The Prime Minister also stressed that a strong bridge of "trust" must be built between the conflicting groups in Manipur.
Speaking at another public meeting at the Meitei-dominated Imphal, Modi said, "Manipur is the 'ratna' adorning the crown of 'mother India'. Any form of violence here is condemnable. It is not only unfortunate but also a grave injustice to our ancestors and our future generations. Together, we must take Manipur forward on the path of peace and development."
Modi reached Manipur for a 3-hours-long visit on Saturday. Upon his arrival, the Prime Minister was received at the Imphal airport by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel.
Modi then headed to Churachandpur, one of the worst-affected areas in the violence. Owing to heavy rainfall, Modi chose to travel to Churachandpur by road from Imphal instead of flying there directly from Mizoram.
Both state and central forces' personnel were deployed in large numbers in and around the nearly 237-acre Kangla Fort in Imphal and the Peace Ground in Churachandpur, the venues of the PM's rallies.
'Farce, tokenism, grave insult to people of Manipur'
The Congress, which has repeatedly slammed the Prime Minister for refusing to visit Manipur despite the deadly violence, lashed out at Modi on Saturday calling his 3-hours-tour to the state a "face-saving farce."
The party alleged that PM Modi's visit is "tokenism" and a "grave insult" to the people of the state.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Modi of organising a grand welcome ceremony for himself and claimed that it "is a cruel prick" to the wounds of those still suffering.
"In the words of your own... Where is your Rajdharma?" Kharge asked on X just before Modi's Manipur visit.
"Narendra Modi ji, your 3-hour pit stop in Manipur is not compassion -- it's farce, tokenism, and a grave insult to wounded people. Your so-called roadshow in Imphal and Churachandpur today, is nothing but a cowardly escape from hearing the cries of people in relief camps!" the Congress chief said in his post on X.
"864 days of violence:-- 300 lives lost, 67,000 displaced, 1,500 plus injured. You made 46 foreign trips since, but not a single visit to share two words of sympathy with your own citizens," Kharge said.
It is the BJP which was responsible for maintaining law and order in the state and it is now the Union government which is again dithering, he said.
"Not to forget, that is your government which is responsible for National Security and border patrol. This hush-hush pit stop isn't repentance. It's not even guilt. You are organising a grand welcome ceremony for yourself. It is a cruel prick to the wounds of those still suffering because of your own abdication of basic constitutional responsibilities!" Kharge said.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal called PM Modi's visit a "belated, face-saving farce."
PM Modi's Manipur visit today is a display of how sorely lacking in empathy and compassion a leader can be, he claimed.
Manipur has been burning since 2023, and he found time to pay a visit today - after 2.5 years, Venugopal said on X.
"This visit too is a half-hearted measure, with him spending barely a few hours there, and is clubbed with a visit to Mizoram," the Congress leader said.
He said that the Modi government has neither presented a solution to address the "deep social rift that caused the civil war" nor does it have the "courage to bring warring groups together" and make a genuine attempt at peace.
"Instead, he is treating this like any other PR event, treating his grand arrival as an occasion to celebrate. Such a tone deaf, insensitive and self-aggrandising stunt will be nothing but a mockery of the people of Manipur.
"As this belated, face-saving farce takes place today, one is left to wonder whether those who peddle hate every single day can ever be messengers of peace," Venugopal said.
