CPI(M) leader Brittas says Oppn long urged PM to lead all-party delegation to Manipur, calls visit too late but supports initiative
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
PM Modi’s Long-Awaited Visit to Manipur Sparks Mixed Reactions from Opposition
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur on Saturday has finally happened, but opposition leaders aren’t holding back their criticism. They say it’s too late after two years of ethnic violence in the state, even as they welcome the move.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas spoke to about the Prime Minister’s trip to the violence-hit Manipur. He pointed out that opposition parties had been pushing for PM Modi to lead an all-party delegation to restore peace. "We’ve always said let the PM lead a team from all parties to Manipur to bring back peace," Brittas said. "For two years, he ignored us, even rejecting calls for a full Parliament debate. At least he’s going now, though it’s way too late. We support it and hope he unites everyone to build trust."
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah echoed similar sentiments. He called the visit a positive step, adding, "It’s good that people talked about PM Modi avoiding that part of the country. Better late than never."
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was sharper in her response from Wayanad, Kerala. She slammed PM Modi for delaying the Manipur visit amid ongoing violence. "I’m glad he’s going after two years, but he should have visited much earlier," she told reporters. "It’s unfortunate he let so many people die and suffer for so long. Indian Prime Ministers have always visited areas in pain, no matter the party—it’s a tradition since independence. He’s just catching up now."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took it further on X (formerly Twitter). He labeled the visit a "3-hour pit stop" and called it a "farce and tokenism." Kharge wrote, "Your roadshow in Imphal and Churachandpur is a cowardly escape from hearing the cries of people in relief camps. It’s an insult to those suffering."
Despite the backlash, security is tight in Imphal for PM Modi’s Manipur visit. The city looks all decked up, with police and forces deployed everywhere to ensure smooth arrangements.
On the development front, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore in Churachandpur at 12:30 pm. Key ones include the Rs 3,600 crore Manipur Urban Roads, Drainage and Asset Management Project, five National Highway projects over Rs 2,500 crore, the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, and working women’s hostels at nine spots.
Later, he’ll inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 1,200 crore in Imphal and speak at a public rally. This comes as Manipur grapples with ethnic clashes that started in 2021, displacing thousands and claiming hundreds of lives.
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