PM Modi can go to Gauhati but not Manipur: Congress

The Congress on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to maintain "total silence" on the situation in Manipur, and alleged that he had committed a "horrific injustice" against the state's people.

The Opposition party's attack came a day after Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh met Union home minister Amit Shah.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tagged a media report on the CM's meeting with Shah and said, "9 months to the day and yet no meeting with the PM who continues to maintain total silence on Manipur."

"The PM goes to Guwahati for a road show but cannot and will not go to Imphal," he said. "A horrific ANYAY by the PM on the people of Manipur!"

The reference here is to the prime minister's ongoing visit to Assam's capital Gauhati, where he landed on Saturday night, and where he has announced projects worth Rs 11,600 crore, according to a post from Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's X handle.

After meeting Shah, Singh said the Centre is set to take "some important decisions" in the interests of the people of the state. During the meeting "matters of paramount importance" concerning Manipur were discussed.

Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on 3 May 2023 after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the hill districts to protest the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Since then, over 200 people have been killed in the continuing violence. While a section of the state's minority Kuki community has demanded a separate administration or separation from the Manipur government, the Meitei groups are against it and have warned legislators against any such design, asking them to foil such attempts.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts. The rest belong to other communities.