September 13,2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence in 2023 drew sharp criticism from the Congress party, which described the trip as “tokenism” and a “grave insult” to the people of the state.
The Prime Minister on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth nearly ₹8,500 crore during a three-hour visit to Imphal and Churachandpur. He also met a limited number of displaced families and appealed for peace, saying “development is possible only when harmony prevails.”
Congress leaders, however, accused the Prime Minister of arriving after “two years of silence” while over 300 people lost their lives and nearly 67,000 were displaced in the ethnic conflict. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Your three-hour pit stop is not compassion, it is tokenism and a cruel prick to the wounds of Manipur.”
Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed the delay in visiting the violence-hit state “very unfortunate” and alleged that the trip was aimed at projecting optics rather than addressing grievances.
The opposition has also objected to the “staged” nature of the welcome events, questioning why the Prime Minister did not spend time in relief camps where thousands of families remain displaced.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, projects inaugurated during the visit included roads, power, health and educational facilities, and welfare initiatives worth over ₹7,300 crore in Churachandpur and ₹1,200 crore in Imphal. Government officials said these projects were aimed at boosting connectivity and restoring normalcy.
The Manipur conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has claimed hundreds of lives since May 2023, leaving deep divisions in the state. Opposition leaders argue that the central government has failed to provide a credible roadmap for reconciliation.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has defended the Prime Minister’s outreach, the Congress maintains that symbolic gestures cannot substitute for sustained dialogue and relief. The visit has thus become a flashpoint in the continuing debate over accountability and crisis management in the Northeast.
