Imphal: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday, September 7, held a high-level meeting with top bureaucrats and several BJP MLAs, including former chief minister N Biren Singh, at Raj Bhavan, officials said.
The meeting gains significance ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to Manipur in the second week of this month. If it materialises, it would be the PM’s first visit to the northeastern state since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.
Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh were among those who attended the meeting, the officials said.
Although the agenda of the meeting was not officially disclosed, a BJP leader told PTI, “The meeting, which was also attended by our party’s state unit president A Sharda Devi, deliberated on multiple issues, including matters related to the likely visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
The PM is likely to visit Mizoram on September 13 to inaugurate the new Bairabi-Sairang railway. From there, he might fly to Imphal, although there has been no official confirmation of his visit.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
Rushed trip insult to people: Congress
The Congress claimed that “such a rushed trip” is an “insult” to the people of the state who have waited for him for 29 “long and agonising” months.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the September 13 visit to Manipur will actually be a “non-visit by the PM”.
“The proposed visit of the Prime Minister to Manipur on Sept 13 is being hailed by his cheerleaders. But it appears that he will be spending just about 3 hours–yes just 3 hours–in the state. What does he hope to accomplish by such a rushed trip?” Ramesh said on X.
“This is actually an insult to the people of the state who have waited for him for 29 long and agonising months,” the Congress leader said.
“September 13th will actually be a non-visit by the PM, who has once again revealed his callousness and insensitivity towards the people of Manipur,” Ramesh said.
He also shared a media report on X which claimed that the PM would be in Manipur for about three hours.
The prime minister is likely to visit Manipur on September 13, which will be his first tour to the state since ethnic violence broke out between Meiteis and Kukis in May 2023.
The Congress had said last week that though Prime Minister Modi finally may have summoned up the courage and empathy to visit the northeast state briefly, it may be “too little too late”.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
The Centre had imposed President’s rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
