Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised Manipur a "new dawn" when he made his first visit to the state since ethnic riots broke out in May 2023.
"The land of Manipur is a land of hope and aspiration. Unfortunately, violence had cast its shadow on this beautiful region. A short while ago, I met those affected who are living in relief camps. After meeting them, I can say with confidence that a new dawn of hope and trust is rising in Manipur," said PM Modi, addressing people in Churachandpur.
The Manipur ethnic clashes of 2023 between the Meitei-dominant community of the valley and the Kuki tribes killed more than 250 people.
The long-standing tensions are mainly over land and access to government jobs. Rights activists have blamed local leaders for perpetuating these ethnic cleavages for political reasons.
Internet services were cut off for months during the first outbreak of violence, and about 60,000 residents were displaced, as per government statistics. A majority of them still cannot go back home because of continuing unrest.
The central government is trying to "bring life back on track" in the troubled state, PM Modi stressed.
"For development to take root anywhere, peace is essential. In the past 11 years, many conflicts and disputes in the Northeast have been resolved. People have chosen the path of peace and given priority to development... We are satisfied that recently in the hills and valley, negotiations have taken place for agreements with different groups. These are part of the efforts of the Government of India in which work is being done to establish peace while giving importance to dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding. I would appeal to all organisations to move forward on the path of peace and fulfil their dreams. I am with you, the Government of India is with the people of Manipur..." said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister's speech also touched upon development schemes, such as a new airport in Imphal, improved highways, better rail and road connectivity, a Railways scheme to connect Jiribam with Imphal, and new medical colleges.
"We are going to become the world's third-largest economy very soon... There was a time when decisions made in Delhi took decades to reach here. Today, our Churachandpur, our Manipur, are progressing together with the rest of the nation," said PM Modi.
He also referred to the government's efforts in constructing pucca houses for the poor all over the country, including Manipur.
"Nearly 60,000 houses have already been built here, giving thousands of families a life of dignity and security," he said.
PM Modi also addressed better tap water availability all over the nation, referring to the development in Manipur.
"In the past years, more than 15 crore countrymen have received the facility of water from taps. In Manipur, until 7-8 years ago, water came through pipes in only 25-30 thousand houses. Today, more than 3.5 lakh houses here are receiving the facility of water from taps..." said PM Modi.
Prior to the Prime Minister's visit, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the visit as "tokenism" and a "grave insult" to the people of Manipur.
"Narendra Modi ji, your 3-hour pit stop in Manipur is not compassion -- it's farce, tokenism, and a grave insult to wounded people. Your so-called roadshow in Imphal and Churachandpur today, is nothing but a cowardly escape from hearing the cries of people in relief camps!" Mr Kharge posted on X.
On Friday, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi minimized the visit, terming it as "not a big deal" and the country's biggest issue as "vote chori (vote theft)."
"Manipur has been in trouble for a long time and the PM has decided to go there now. So that's not a big deal. The main issue today in India is vote chori," said Mr Gandhi, who has visited the state thrice since the outbreak of violence.
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