NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s first trip to Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence in 2023 triggered a fierce backlash from opposition leaders, who accused him of neglecting the state for two years and called the visit a "farce".
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the three-hour stopover as a “grave insult” to the people. In a post on X, he wrote: “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.”
Kharge pointed to the toll of the violence since May 2023: “300 lives lost, 67,000 displaced, 1,500 plus injured” and accused Modi of making 46 foreign trips in the meantime while avoiding Manipur. He said the BJP-led government had abdicated its “basic constitutional responsibilities” and hidden behind President’s Rule.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the visit saying PM Modi should have visited long ago. “I am glad that he has decided after two years that it’s worth his visiting. He should have visited much long before. It’s very unfortunate that he has allowed what is happening there to happen for so long, so many people to get killed and so many people to go through so much strife before he has decided to visit,” she told reporters in Wayanad.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also lashed out at the prime minister's visit, calling it a "belated, face-saving farce".
'A good thing': Omar Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah called the visit a "good thing" and called for peace and calm to be restored in the conflict-hit state
"It's a good thing. There has been a lot of commentary about the fact that PM Modi has avoided travelling to that part of the country, particularly after the violence that broke out in 2023. As we say, better late than never, and it's a good thing that he is visiting. We hope that peace and calm are restored and differences between the two tribal communities are reduced to the point where people are able to live their lives normally," he said.
'Make sure that trust and confidence are built': CPM
CPI(M) MP John Brittas said the visit was “too late” but welcomed it as a step that might restore trust.
"We, the Opposition parties, have always been saying, 'Let the PM lead a delegation of all the parties to Manipur so that we can bring back that state into peace and tranquillity. For the last two years, he was not heeding us. Even the request for a full-fledged discussion on the Floor of the Parliament was discarded. At least he is going to Manipur. But it is too late. Nevertheless, we support the initiative. We feel that he will hold all the organisations and everybody together, and make sure that trust and confidence are built," he told ANI.
Visit motivated by 2027 elections: DMK
DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi claimed that the visit was motivated more by the 2027 Manipur assembly elections than compassion.
"I note that the Indian Prime Minister has finally decided to visit Manipur, despite the state burning for over two years. Compassion has obviously failed, but the 2027 election preparations have succeeded in reminding him of Manipur," the DMK MP said in a post on Friday.
Protests on the groundProtests also erupted in Imphal, where activists from the Congress youth wing and the Manipur Peoples’ Party demonstrated near the Prime Minister’s venue. Holding placards, they called the visit a “political ploy” and attempted to march towards the rally site before being stopped by police.
PM Modi calls for peace, launches projects
During his visit, PM Modi appealed for reconciliation and development in the strife-torn state. “I appeal to all the groups to move on the path of peace to fulfil their dreams and secure their children’s future. Today, I promise that I stand by your side. The Indian government stands with the people of Manipur,” he told a public gathering in Churachandpur.
The Prime Minister met families displaced by the ethnic conflict and assured them that “a new dawn of hope and confidence is knocking on the doors of Manipur.” He announced support to build 7,000 homes for the homeless and a Rs 3,000 crore special package.
Laying foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 7,300 crore, PM Modi spoke about the government’s focus on infrastructure and connectivity. These included the Manipur Urban Roads and drainage project worth Rs 3,600 crore, five National Highway schemes of more than Rs 2,500 crore, the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, and working women’s hostels at nine locations.
“In the past few years, Rs 3,700 crore have been spent on National Highways in Manipur, while work for highways worth Rs 8,700 crore is underway,” he said, stressing that connectivity was vital for border regions like Manipur. He also praised the state’s cultural vibrancy, calling it a “pearl” that would “make India shine.”
The Manipur stop is part of the Prime Minister’s three-day tour of five states, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, during which he will unveil projects worth over Rs 71,000 crore.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the three-hour stopover as a “grave insult” to the people. In a post on X, he wrote: “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.”
Kharge pointed to the toll of the violence since May 2023: “300 lives lost, 67,000 displaced, 1,500 plus injured” and accused Modi of making 46 foreign trips in the meantime while avoiding Manipur. He said the BJP-led government had abdicated its “basic constitutional responsibilities” and hidden behind President’s Rule.
.@narendramodi ji
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) September 13, 2025
Your 3-hour PIT STOP in Manipur is not compassion — it’s farce, tokenism, and a grave insult to a 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!…
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the visit saying PM Modi should have visited long ago. “I am glad that he has decided after two years that it’s worth his visiting. He should have visited much long before. It’s very unfortunate that he has allowed what is happening there to happen for so long, so many people to get killed and so many people to go through so much strife before he has decided to visit,” she told reporters in Wayanad.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also lashed out at the prime minister's visit, calling it a "belated, face-saving farce".
'A good thing': Omar Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah called the visit a "good thing" and called for peace and calm to be restored in the conflict-hit state
"It's a good thing. There has been a lot of commentary about the fact that PM Modi has avoided travelling to that part of the country, particularly after the violence that broke out in 2023. As we say, better late than never, and it's a good thing that he is visiting. We hope that peace and calm are restored and differences between the two tribal communities are reduced to the point where people are able to live their lives normally," he said.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: On PM's visit to Manipur, J&K CM Omar Abdullah says, "It's a good thing. There has been a lot of commentary about the fact that PM Modi has avoided travelling to that part of the country, particularly after the violence that broke out in 2023. As we… pic.twitter.com/TA19qD65xJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2025
'Make sure that trust and confidence are built': CPM
CPI(M) MP John Brittas said the visit was “too late” but welcomed it as a step that might restore trust.
"We, the Opposition parties, have always been saying, 'Let the PM lead a delegation of all the parties to Manipur so that we can bring back that state into peace and tranquillity. For the last two years, he was not heeding us. Even the request for a full-fledged discussion on the Floor of the Parliament was discarded. At least he is going to Manipur. But it is too late. Nevertheless, we support the initiative. We feel that he will hold all the organisations and everybody together, and make sure that trust and confidence are built," he told ANI.
Visit motivated by 2027 elections: DMK
DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi claimed that the visit was motivated more by the 2027 Manipur assembly elections than compassion.
"I note that the Indian Prime Minister has finally decided to visit Manipur, despite the state burning for over two years. Compassion has obviously failed, but the 2027 election preparations have succeeded in reminding him of Manipur," the DMK MP said in a post on Friday.
Protests on the groundProtests also erupted in Imphal, where activists from the Congress youth wing and the Manipur Peoples’ Party demonstrated near the Prime Minister’s venue. Holding placards, they called the visit a “political ploy” and attempted to march towards the rally site before being stopped by police.
PM Modi calls for peace, launches projects
During his visit, PM Modi appealed for reconciliation and development in the strife-torn state. “I appeal to all the groups to move on the path of peace to fulfil their dreams and secure their children’s future. Today, I promise that I stand by your side. The Indian government stands with the people of Manipur,” he told a public gathering in Churachandpur.
The Prime Minister met families displaced by the ethnic conflict and assured them that “a new dawn of hope and confidence is knocking on the doors of Manipur.” He announced support to build 7,000 homes for the homeless and a Rs 3,000 crore special package.
Laying foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 7,300 crore, PM Modi spoke about the government’s focus on infrastructure and connectivity. These included the Manipur Urban Roads and drainage project worth Rs 3,600 crore, five National Highway schemes of more than Rs 2,500 crore, the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, and working women’s hostels at nine locations.
“In the past few years, Rs 3,700 crore have been spent on National Highways in Manipur, while work for highways worth Rs 8,700 crore is underway,” he said, stressing that connectivity was vital for border regions like Manipur. He also praised the state’s cultural vibrancy, calling it a “pearl” that would “make India shine.”
The Manipur stop is part of the Prime Minister’s three-day tour of five states, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, during which he will unveil projects worth over Rs 71,000 crore.
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