Guwahati, September 6: Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Manipur should not be seen as the final step toward peace but rather as the beginning of a long and overdue process of healing, justice, and reconciliation in the conflict-hit state.

Speaking at an event in Guwahati on September 5, Gogoi remarked, “We cannot say that normalcy has returned to Manipur. There is no elected government, and so Modi’s visit should not be seen as the end goal.” He emphasized that true peace can only come when the deep-rooted divisions among Manipur’s communities are addressed and people’s aspirations are met.

Gogoi criticized the delayed timing of the visit, saying it should have taken place two years ago. “As they say, justice delayed is justice denied — the people of Manipur have been denied the PM’s presence for far too long,” he said, adding that he hopes the Prime Minister begins his visit by apologizing to the people for his prolonged absence.

The Congress MP stressed that the visit should not be seen as a photo-op or symbolic gesture, but as the beginning of a serious effort to restore democracy, rebuild trust, and bring genuine normalcy to the state.

He also responded to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement regarding the upcoming SIT report into alleged links between Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and his associates in India. Gogoi said the Congress would continue to highlight what he called numerous “scams” under the BJP government in Assam. He also dismissed Sarma’s previous allegations involving his wife, Elizabeth Colburn, and Pakistan’s ISI, as politically motivated and baseless.

Commenting on the new Immigration and Foreigners’ (Exemption) Order, 2025, Gogoi said the move undermines the Assam Accord and should have been debated in Parliament. The order, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, allows minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India by December 31, 2024, to stay if they fled religious persecution.

Gogoi was speaking during a media interaction with INDIA bloc Vice Presidential candidate B. Sudershan Reddy, a former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. He expressed confidence in Reddy’s understanding of the Northeast’s complex issues and said he would be a strong voice for the region at the national level.

Gogoi concluded by urging political leaders across party lines to support a candidate who understands the concerns of the Northeast and can represent them effectively.