Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked PM Narendra Modi to explain his apathy towards Manipur on Saturday, which marked completion of two years ethnic strife in the state.
“Since January 2022, your last election rally in Manipur, you have made 44 foreign visit around the globe and 250 domestic visits across the nation, yet you have not spent a single second in Manipur,” Kharge wrote on his X handle. “Why this apathy and disdain for the people of Manipur? Where is the political accountability?”
“What happened to the Peace Committee announced by the Home Minister? Why didn't you meet the affected people of all communities even in Delhi? Why didn't you announce a special package for the state? Modi ji, once again, you failed upholding — Rajdharma,” the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha wrote.
The ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities that broke out two years ago has left over 260 dead and 68,000-plus men, women and children displaced.
In April 2023, the Manipur high court had passed an order that apparently recommended Scheduled Tribe status for the dominant Meitei community. Rallies for and against the order were held, till one such demonstration in Churachandpur turned violent, which soon escalated and spread to the other districts.
Though Union home minister Amit Shah has visited the state a few times, the Prime Minister has avoided a visit and on most occasions mention of the states, drawing the ire of the opposition parties.
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had launched the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur which ended in Mumbai.
Saturday was marked with shutdowns in the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley and the Kuki-majority hill districts.
In February 2025, the Centre imposed President’s rule in the state, the 11th one in Manipur, dismissing the BJP government.
Kharge criticised the Centre’s reluctance to impose President’s Rule, citing “internal political pressure.”
“People of Manipur themselves demanded President’s Rule. But when the BJP was faced by a no-confidence motion brought in by the Congress party and your own MLAs couldn’t decide a CM: after 20 months you were forced to accept that demand,” Kharge wrote. “Why did the double engine government fail in its Constitutional duty to provide security and safety for its citizens? Why did you not sack the chief minister earlier?”
Kharge said even now, with central control in place, the violence continues unchecked.
“Your double assault government is still failing Manipur. Despite the Home Ministry's rule in place now, incidents of violence haven't stopped.To hide your rank incompetence, in a hurried manner, at 2 AM midnight, you passed the resolution to adopt President's Rule in the Parliament, as if no one will notice your sins!,” Kharge wrote.
He also pointed out the economic losses and questioned the lack of direct engagement with those affected. “Manipur's economy has suffered with thousands of crores in losses. The demand for grants for the state, which you brought in the Parliament, made several social spending cuts.
Since the start of 2023, there have been repeated flare-ups, and even the imposition of Article 355 by the Centre has not restored full peace.
Despite the deployment of central forces and periodic reviews by the home ministry, there has been little change on the ground.
