PM Modi attends Hazarika birth centenary event in Assam after Manipur visit

K C Venugopal slams PM Modi’s 'belated' Manipur visit, calls it a PR stunt

Congress MP K C Venugopal criticised PM Modi’s Manipur visit, stating that it is a display of how sorely lacking in empathy and compassion a leader can be.In a post on X, Venugopal said, "Manipur is burning since 2023, and he found time to pay a visit today - after 2.5 years. This visit too, is a half-hearted measure with him spending barely a few hours there, and is clubbed with a visit to Mizoram."

"Neither has his government presented a solution to address the deep social rift that caused the civil war, nor do they have the courage to bring warring groups together and make a genuine attempt at peace. Instead, he is treating this like any other PR event, treating his grand arrival as an occasion to celebrate. Such a tone deaf, insensitive and self-aggrandising stunt will be nothing but a mockery of the people of Manipur," he further said.

"As this belated, face-saving farce takes place today, one is left to wonder whether those who peddle hate every single day can ever be messengers of peace," Venugopal noted.

PM Modi arrives in Churachandpur, interacts with the locals there

PM Modi being welcomed in Churachandpur as he arrives in the city. PM also interacts with the locals of the city.

PM will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur today. The projects include Manipur Urban Roads, drainage and asset management improvement project worth over Rs 3,600 crore; 5 National Highway projects worth more than Rs 2,500 crore; Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, Working Women Hostels at 9 locations, among others.

PM Modi should have visited Manipur much earlier: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday (September 13) said that she is "glad" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to visit Manipur two years after the widespread violence in that state, but he should have thought of it before.

Priyanka also termed it "unfortunate" that the PM allegedly "allowed what is happening there to continue for so long and for so many people to get killed".

"I’m glad that he has decided after two years that it’s worth him visiting. He should have visited much long before. It is very unfortunate that he has allowed what is happening there to happen for so long and for so many people to get killed, so many people to go through so much strife before he decided to visit," she said while speaking to reporters here.

The Congress MP from Wayanand said whenever there was pain and suffering, the prime ministers in India would visit such places and it has been followed traditionally.

"Right through, no matter which party, wherever there was pain and suffering, they would go. And that has been the tradition since independence. So, he is fulfilling it after two years. I think he should’ve thought of it before," Vadra, who has been in Wayanad since Thursday night, said.

PM Modi heads to Churachandpur from Imphal by road amid heavy rain

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was heading to the Kuki stronghold of Churachandpur by road on Saturday afternoon after landing in Manipur's capital, Imphal, amid heavy rains.

Earlier, he was scheduled to fly directly from the Mizoram capital, Aizawl, to Churachandpur following his official programme, but inclement weather disrupted his travel plans, officials said.

This is his first visit to the state after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. In view of Modi's visit, security has been tightened in the state.

Modi was received at the Imphal airport by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel.

He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore in the state during the visit.

Later in the day, he will return to Meitei-dominated Imphal from Churachandpur, officials said.

Congress criticises PM Modi's Manipur visit; calls it an act of 'tokenism'

Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Manipur a "pit stop", the Congress on Saturday (September 13) alleged that the trip is "tokenism" and a "grave insult" to the people of the state.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Modi of organising a grand welcome ceremony for himself and claimed that it "is a cruel prick" to the wounds of those still suffering.

"In the words of your own... Where is your Rajdharma?" Kharge asked on X just before the start of Modi's Manipur visit.

"Narendra Modi ji, your 3-hour pit stop in Manipur is not compassion -- it's farce, tokenism, and a grave insult to wounded people. Your so-called roadshow in Imphal and Churachandpur today, is nothing but a cowardly escape from hearing the cries of people in relief camps!" the Congress chief said in his post on X.

"Not to forget, that is your government which is responsible for National Security and border patrol. This hush-hush pit stop isn't repentance. It's not even guilt. You are organising a grand welcome ceremony for yourself. It is a cruel prick to the wounds of those still suffering because of your own abdication of basic constitutional responsibilities!" Kharge said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at the PM and said he should have visited the state long before.

"I am glad that he has decided, after two years, that it is worth visiting (Manipur). He should have gone long before. It is very unfortunate that he has allowed what is happening there to continue for so long and for so many people to be killed. That has not been the tradition of prime ministers in India," she said.

PM Modi reaches Manipur for the first time after the ethnic violence in 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Imphal on Saturday (September 13) on his first visit to Manipur after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.

Modi was received at the Imphal airport by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel.

He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore. In view of Modi's visit, security has been tightened in Imphal and the Churachandpur district.

The PM's visit comes amid repeated criticism by opposition parties for not visiting Manipur following the ethnic strife between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which has left over 260 people dead and thousands homeless since May 2023.

PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of key projects worth Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur today. The projects include Manipur Urban Roads, drainage and asset management improvement project worth over Rs 3,600 crore; 5 National Highway projects worth more than Rs 2,500 crore; Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, Working Women Hostels at 9 locations, among others.

PM Modi to inaugurate multiple development projects in Imphal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate multiple development projects worth more than Rs 1,200 crore in Imphal today. They include the Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri; IT SEZ Building and New Police Headquarters at Mantripukhri; Manipur Bhawans at Delhi and Kolkata; and Ima Markets, unique all women's market, in 4 districts.

PM Modi in Manipur; landed in Imphal at 11:26 am

The PM's visit comes amid repeated criticism by opposition parties for not visiting Manipur following the ethnic strife between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which has left over 260 people dead and thousands homeless. 

Heavy rains in Manipur ahead of PM's visit

Heavy rains lashed Manipur on Saturday (September 13) ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to the state. Ankle-deep water was seen in parts of the Kangla Fort in Imphal, where Modi will address a public gathering. Heavy rains were also reported in the Churachandpur town.

In a statement, the Churachandpur district administration said the PM will visit Churachandpur as scheduled and rumours suggesting otherwise are "false and misleading".

Modi is scheduled to reach the Kuki stronghold of Churachandpur in the afternoon, his first trip to the state since ethnic violence broke out over two years ago. He will then travel to Imphal, the stronghold of the Meitei community.

The PM will unveil development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore during the visit, and interact with some internally displaced persons.