PM Modi to Visit Manipur Today

Guwahati/ New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur on Saturday, marking his first trip to the state since ethnic violence broke out over two years ago. Mr Modi will embark on a two-day tour of three Northeast states on Saturday with Mizoram. He will then visit Manipur and wrap up his Northeast tour from Assam. From Assam, Mr Modi will travel to West Bengal and thereafter Bihar on September 15. Between September 13 and 15, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 71,850 crores.

During the visit to Manipur, the Prime Minister will interact with internally displaced people in Churachandpur and Imphal. He will also unveil development projects worth Rs 8,500 crores. Announcing Mr Modi's schedule on Friday, Manipur chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel in Imphal said, “The PM's Saturday visit to Manipur will pave the way for peace, normalcy and growth in the state.”

It is significant that the Prime Minister’s visit has been announced amid repeated criticism by the Opposition, who accused him of ignoring the strife-torn state since the ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities started in May 2023, which have claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands since.

The Prime Minister will commence his Northeast trip on Saturday from Mizoram, where he is set to inaugurate the Bairabi–Sairang railway line project. He will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth over Rs 9,000 crores at Aizawl. These projects will cater to multiple sectors, including railways, roadways, energy, and sports, among others.

Thereafter, the Prime Minister is scheduled to start his daylong Manipur visit. From Peace Ground in Churachandpur, a Kuki-majority area, he will lay foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 7,300 crores. In Meitei-majority Imphal, the Prime Minister will inaugurate infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,200 crores.

The state government also issued an advisory for the public attending the “VVIP programme” at Peace Ground, instructing them not to carry items such as keys, pens, water bottles, bags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, lighters, matchboxes, cloth pieces, sharp objects or weapons. Another notice, which did not mention the Prime Minister’s programme by name, asked people to refrain from bringing children under 12 or unwell persons to the event.

The government had already banned air guns in Churachandpur district ahead of the visit. Meanwhile, security has been tightened in both Imphal and Churachandpur town, officials confirmed.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s visit to Manipur, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday welcomed Mr Modi’s upcoming trip to Manipur. While in Junagadh, Gujarat, Mr Gandhi remarked that the unrest in Manipur had persisted for some time.

"The issue in Manipur has been ongoing for a long time. It is good that he is going there now, but the main issue in the country is that of 'vote chori'," Mr Gandhi told reporters.

Congress general-secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the “preparations” for Mr Modi’s visit, describing it as an insult to the people of Manipur.

In a post on social media, Mr Ramesh shared a newspaper clipping about the arrangements and noted that the Prime Minister seemed set to spend only a few hours in the state. “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 asked.

“This is actually an insult to the people of the state who have waited for him for 29 long and agonising months. Sept. 13th will actually be a non-visit by the PM, who has once again revealed his callousness and insensitivity towards the people of Manipur,” Mr Ramesh said.

After concluding his visit to Manipur on Saturday, the Prime Minister will participate in celebrations to commemorate the 100th Birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika in Guwahati. The celebration will honour the life and legacy of Bhupen Hazarika, whose contributions to Assamese music, literature and culture remain unparalleled.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of major infrastructure and industrial development projects worth over Rs 18,530 crores in Assam.

In Darrang, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of multiple projects. The projects include Darrang Medical College and Hospital and GNM School and a nursing college, strengthening medical education and healthcare delivery in the region. He will also unveil the Guwahati Ring Road project and the Kuruwa–Narengi bridge over the River Brahmaputra, improving connectivity and promoting socio-economic development in the region.

At Numaligarh in Golaghat, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Assam Bioethanol Plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), aimed at promoting clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the Polypropylene Plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited, adding significant value to Assam’s petrochemical sector. It will also generate employment opportunities and lead to overall socioeconomic development of the region.

On September 15, Mr Modi will visit West Bengal and inaugurate the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference 2025 in Kolkata in the morning.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister will visit Bihar and inaugurate the new terminal building of Purnea airport. He will also lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth around `36,000 crores at Purnea and address the gathering on the occasion. He will also launch the National Makhana Board in Bihar.