NEW DELHI, Feb 25: The Congress party criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur during his recent trip to the Northeast, despite attending events in neighboring Assam. The party claimed that Modi has once again let down the people of Manipur, who are still awaiting his attention amid ongoing challenges in the region.
Prime Minister Modi’s three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam began on Sunday, with a focus on launching various developmental initiatives. On Monday, while in Assam, Modi attended a grand Jhumoir dance performance featuring nearly 9,000 performers, played the traditional ‘Dhomsa’ drum, and inaugurated the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit in Guwahati on Tuesday.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed his disappointment on social media, saying, “The Prime Minister has deeply disappointed the people of Manipur yet again. Despite spending a night in Guwahati, he did not visit nearby Manipur, a state currently under President’s Rule. This raises serious questions, especially considering the immense suffering the people of Manipur have endured over the past 21 months.”
Ramesh further questioned when Modi would directly address the pain and distress faced by the people of Manipur, noting that these were individuals who had given the BJP a decisive mandate three years ago, yet were left “waiting… and waiting… and waiting.”
Earlier this month, the Congress had accused the BJP-led central and state governments of failing to manage the crisis in Manipur, pointing out that the imposition of President’s Rule on February 13 was a direct admission of this failure. The President’s Rule was imposed following months of ethnic violence that claimed over 250 lives. During the unrest, the state assembly was suspended, and Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned after nearly two years of violence and instability.
The Congress also demanded an apology from Prime Minister Modi to the people of Manipur, emphasizing the need for urgent attention to the state’s ongoing crisis.
