New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur on Saturday, marking his first trip to the state in more than two years since violent ethnic clashes erupted. During the visit, he will unveil development projects worth nearly ₹8,500 crore, officials confirmed.
From Peace Ground in Churachandpur, a Kuki-majority district, Modi will lay the foundation stones for projects worth ₹7,300 crore. He will also inaugurate completed infrastructure works worth ₹1,200 crore in Imphal, the Meitei-dominated capital.
The Prime Minister’s trip comes against the backdrop of sustained opposition criticism for his absence from Manipur following ethnic strife between the Meitei and Kuki communities that began in May 2023. The violence has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands.
In preparation, large billboards announcing the Prime Minister’s schedule were put up at key locations such as Keisampat Junction in Imphal. The visit will take place at Peace Ground in Churachandpur and Kangla Fort in Imphal.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February after Chief Minister N Biren Singh stepped down. Security agencies have issued strict guidelines for those attending the public programmes, asking them not to bring items like keys, pens, bags, umbrellas, water bottles, or sharp objects. Another advisory discouraged children under 12 and unwell persons from attending. Air guns have been temporarily banned in Churachandpur ahead of the event.
Security has been intensified across the state, with heavy deployment of police, paramilitary, and disaster management teams in Imphal and Churachandpur. Kangla Fort, spread across 237 acres, has been under round-the-clock surveillance, including moat patrolling by disaster management boats. Barricades have also been installed on routes leading to Peace Ground.
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Welcoming the visit, Manipur’s lone Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba said, “It is a matter of great fortune that the Prime Minister will hear the people’s hardships directly. No Prime Minister in history has visited the state during such difficult times.”
Several Kuki-Zo groups have also praised the visit, calling it a rare and historic occasion. The Kuki-Zo Council, representing the community, said Modi’s trip comes nearly four decades after a Prime Minister last visited the region. “We trust your leadership to heal our wounds, restore our dignity, and safeguard the future of the Kuki-Zo people,” the council said in a statement.
However, some organisations expressed reservations over a cultural dance programme planned to welcome him. A women’s group, Imagi Meira, urged Modi to ensure safe passage for Meiteis along the National Highway and address security concerns.
