(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Manipur, calling it a “farce” instead of a real step towards peace. The visit, set for September 13, has sparked sharp criticism from the opposition, especially amid the state’s ongoing ethnic violence that’s lasted over two years.
Ramesh pointed out that PM Modi will spend less than three hours in Manipur during this quick trip. “So now it’s official. The PM will spend less than 3 hours in Manipur tomorrow. This visit, instead of providing a force for peace and harmony, is actually going to be a farce,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). He argued that such a rushed schedule shows insensitivity to the people of Manipur, who have waited 29 agonizing months for the Prime Minister to address the crisis directly.
Earlier this week, on September 7, Ramesh had questioned the visit’s value after seeing reports of preparations. “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?” he wrote. He called it an “insult” to locals and labeled the whole thing a “non-visit,” highlighting the Prime Minister’s alleged callousness towards Manipur’s ethnic conflict and violence.
On the other hand, PM Modi’s office has emphasized the visit’s focus on development. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “I will be attending programmes in Churachandpur and Imphal tomorrow, 13th September. We are fully committed to furthering inclusive and all-round development of Manipur.” He plans to lay foundation stones for key projects and inaugurate others to boost infrastructure in the state.
At Churachandpur, PM Modi will kick off development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore. These include the Manipur Urban Roads, drainage, and asset management improvement project valued at more than Rs 3,600 crore; five National Highway projects costing over Rs 2,500 crore; the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project; and working women’s hostels at nine locations.
In Imphal, he’ll inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 1,200 crore, such as the Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri, the IT SEZ Building, the New Police Headquarters at Mantripukhri, Manipur Bhawans in Delhi and Kolkata, and Ima Markets—a unique all-women market—in four districts.
This Manipur visit is part of a bigger three-day tour from September 13 to 15, where PM Modi will cover five states: Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar. He’ll inaugurate and lay foundation stones for projects totaling Rs 71,850 crore across these regions, aiming to drive growth and connectivity.
As tensions simmer in Manipur due to the prolonged ethnic violence, many are watching to see if these development initiatives can bring real harmony to the state.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
