“A Grave Insult to Wounded People”: Congress Tears Into PM Modi Over His First Manipur Visit Since 2023 Violence

New Delhi, September 13, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, September 13, 2025, made his first visit to Manipur since the state was rocked by one of the worst episodes of ethnic violence in India in May 2023. The long-delayed trip, however, has sparked a storm of criticism from the Congress party, which has called it “a grave insult to a wounded people.”

The opposition argues that the Prime Minister’s short three-hour stop in Manipur, after more than two years and four months of unrest, is far from enough. According to Congress leaders, it shows insensitivity toward victims who continue to live in relief camps, still scarred by violence, displacement, and fear.

Modi’s visit: A long wait, a short stop

The Prime Minister landed in Imphal on Saturday morning amid heavy rainfall and then traveled by road to Churachandpur, one of the worst-hit districts during the ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

He is expected to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for development projects worth ₹7,300–8,500 crore, including roads, housing, and community facilities. These projects, according to the government, are aimed at restoring normalcy and rebuilding infrastructure damaged during the unrest.

In Churachandpur and Imphal, Modi was scheduled to meet groups of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been living in temporary relief camps since May 2023. Many of these families lost homes, farms, and businesses.

The visit had its logistical challenges. Bad weather forced changes in the travel plan, but the Prime Minister continued by road to reach Churachandpur. Security in both towns was extremely tight, with additional paramilitary forces deployed to prevent any disturbances during his stay.

Congress lashes out: “Too little, too late”

The Congress party launched a fierce attack on Modi even before his arrival. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge described the visit as a “pit stop,” lacking compassion and seriousness.

Kharge said:

• “This is not empathy. This is a farce. For more than 864 days, people have suffered. Nearly 300 lives have been lost, more than 1,500 injured, and about 67,000 displaced. Yet the Prime Minister never once came to stand with them.”

He reminded the country that during this period, Modi had made 46 foreign trips to nations across the world but failed to make even one journey to Manipur. For Congress, this shows misplaced priorities.

K C Venugopal, Congress general secretary, called the trip “half-hearted” and “lacking empathy.” He said the government’s handling of the Manipur crisis has been marked by silence and inaction, with little being done to bridge the deep ethnic rift between the communities.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra added that it was “deeply unfortunate” that Modi took more than two years to visit Manipur. “Leaders should be where there is pain. Waiting for years to meet victims is not leadership,” she said.

The Congress case: What they say went wrong

Congress leaders laid out a long list of failures that, in their view, made the visit meaningless:

• Silence in Parliament: Kharge accused the Prime Minister of avoiding any real debate on Manipur in Parliament. For months, opposition parties had demanded a detailed statement, but none came.
• Failure to restore law and order: Despite the Army, paramilitary, and local police presence, sporadic violence and tensions continued. Congress says this reflects the Union and state governments’ failure.
• President’s Rule: The opposition claims that imposing President’s Rule was used as a shield, shifting blame away from political responsibility instead of solving the crisis.
• No long-term rehabilitation plan: Relief camps are still overcrowded. Thousands live in makeshift shelters with poor sanitation and limited schooling for children. According to Congress, the government has no clear roadmap to rehabilitate families or rebuild trust between communities.

The wounds of Manipur

The violence that broke out in May 2023 started after a dispute over granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community. What followed was months of arson, mob attacks, and killings.

• More than 200 to 300 people were killed, depending on different estimates.
• At least 67,000 displaced people are still living in camps across Manipur and neighboring states.
• Thousands of homes, schools, and places of worship were destroyed.
• Entire villages were abandoned as families fled.

Even today, reports suggest that many displaced families are unwilling to return to their villages out of fear. Reconciliation between the Meiteis in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo tribes in the hills remains fragile.

What the government says

The government insists that the visit is not symbolic. Officials argue that Modi’s presence, combined with large development packages, will speed up recovery and reassure people of Delhi’s commitment to peace.

BJP leaders also point out that central forces were deployed quickly in 2023 to contain violence and that financial support for relief and rehabilitation has been flowing since then. They believe Congress is using the crisis for political gain.

In Churachandpur, Modi’s meeting with displaced families is intended to send a message of solidarity. His inauguration of new projects is also designed to show that reconstruction is underway.

Local voices: Mixed feelings

On the ground, reactions remain divided.

• Relief camp residents: Many say they are still struggling for basic dignity. A woman displaced from Churachandpur told reporters, “We are still in camps. It has been more than two years. How can a three-hour visit change our lives?”
• Business owners: Some see hope in the development projects. They believe infrastructure spending can create jobs and boost local markets.
• Civil society groups: Activists argue that without trust-building measures and justice for victims, development projects alone will not heal the wounds.

Why the timing matters

For Congress, the timing of the visit — just months before key state elections — makes it look political. Critics say Modi is trying to use the trip to send a message of care, but the long delay undermines credibility.

Supporters of the government counter that visiting too early, when tensions were at their peak, could have made matters worse. They argue that waiting until conditions stabilized was the responsible choice.

What lies ahead

The big questions now are:

1. Rehabilitation: Will the displaced families finally get permanent housing and proper resettlement?
2. Justice: Will those who committed violence face accountability?
3. Reconciliation: Can trust be rebuilt between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities?
4. Development: Will the multi-crore projects be delivered quickly and fairly?

Without progress in these areas, critics warn, Modi’s visit will remain a political photo-op rather than a turning point for Manipur.

Conclusion

The Prime Minister’s first visit to Manipur in over two years has reopened the debate about his government’s handling of the crisis. For Congress, it is an unforgivable delay — a “grave insult to wounded people” who deserved compassion, not indifference.

For the BJP government, it is a much-needed step to rebuild Manipur and assure its people that Delhi has not forgotten them.

Whether this trip heals old wounds or deepens political divides will only be seen in the weeks and months to come. For now, Manipur remains a state with scars that need far more than symbolism to heal.