Imphal, September 3: The Manipur Congress has accused the state government of misappropriating over ₹23 crore allocated for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Moirang Assembly Constituency, Bishnupur district, and demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan on Wednesday, party vice president Hareshwar Goshwami alleged that relief funds earmarked for IDPs had been siphoned off under suspicious expenditure patterns. “There is apprehension that a huge amount of money sanctioned for IDPs in Moirang AC was misused and misappropriated,” he said.
The revelations stem from information accessed through multiple Right to Information (RTI) applications filed by activists Yumkhaibam Shyam Singh and H. Sushil Singh. Initially, RTI requests were denied by the State Chief Information Officer, citing that disclosure could “further fuel the conflict” or “accentuate the divide between the Hill and the Valley.” However, after persistent appeals, partial expenditure details were disclosed.
According to the data, around ₹23.21 crore was spent on 20 relief camps in Moirang AC between May 3, 2023, and August 25, 2025. The expenditure included ₹11 lakh on television sets and DTH connections (₹55,000 per set), ₹11 lakh for pillows, ₹2.1 crore on snack items such as bananas, biscuits, eggs, and noodles, and over ₹7.14 crore on toiletries, vegetables, and spices.
“These figures suggest that nearly ₹15,000 per head was spent just on toothbrushes and toothpaste,” Goshmwami remarked, questioning the transparency of the relief distribution process.
The Congress leader also raised suspicions over Moirang MLA T. Shanti Singh, who was frequently seen distributing relief materials in photographs. “The involvement of the MLA appears highly suspicious,” he alleged.
Demanding a judicial probe into the matter, the Congress pressed for accountability in handling relief funds meant for thousands displaced by the ongoing ethnic crisis.
Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Manipur on September 13, Goshmwami said the Congress welcomed the move but emphasized that the focus should be on resolving the crisis without compromising the state’s territorial and administrative integrity.
