Manipur waits and waits: Cong slams PM Modi for skipping state visit
The Congress on Tuesday took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur despite traveling to neighbouring Assam, accusing him of once again disappointing the people of the violence-hit state.
Modi was on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Assam from Sunday to attend various development programmes. However, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh questioned why the Prime Minister chose to overlook Manipur, especially since the state is currently under President’s Rule.
“The PM has yet again deeply disappointed the people of Manipur. He went to Guwahati and even spent the night there. But he did not visit nearby Manipur. It is all the more perplexing given that the state is now under President’s Rule,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
Ramesh further criticised Modi’s inaction, asking, “When will the PM directly reach out to the people of Manipur, who have endured immense distress, pain and suffering over the past 21 months — all after giving the BJP and its allies a decisive mandate nearly three years ago? They wait and wait and wait…”
Earlier this month, the Congress had called the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur a “direct admission of failure” by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state. The party also demanded that Modi apologise to the people of Manipur for the prolonged crisis.
President’s Rule was imposed in the state on February 13, with the Assembly placed under suspended animation. This followed the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh after nearly 21 months of ethnic violence, which has claimed over 250 lives.
