New Delhi: A little over 2 years after ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is exploring the possibility of visiting the small north-eastern state, multiple sources in the government, political and security establishment in the state told ThePrint.
According to these sources, the subject was officially broached for the first time during Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan’s visit to the state in the first week of June. While the stated purpose of Mohan’s visit was to review the ground situation and assess relief and rehabilitation efforts for internally displaced persons, he also brought up the possibility of the PM visiting Manipur during a meeting with senior officials.
In addition to senior state government officials, the meeting was attended by members of the security establishment, including the chief secretary and top officers from the state police, Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Intelligence Bureau, National Investigation Agency (NIA), and others.
According to two sources, who were present at the meeting, Mohan mentioned that during his visit he will also “gauge the possibility of the PM’s visit to Manipur in the coming months”. They added that though there is no official word on when the PM will visit, the authorities have since “started preparations on the ground”.
ThePrint reached Mohan via email and Manipur Chief Secretary P.K. Singh via calls and email. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
A senior state BJP functionary, who wished to not be named, said to ThePrint that though there is no official word, a lot of activities are going on on the ground.
“Some road upgradation work is happening in Imphal. Then there are talks of some helipad sites being readied inside Kangla Fort and Manipur University in Imphal Valley. These developments have added to the buzz,” the BJP leader said.
A source in the security establishment said that preparations are also underway, including drawing up a list of projects nearing completion that could be inaugurated by the PM. Additionally, certain roads—especially those along the PM’s expected route—are being renovated.
There is also talk that if the PM visits, he might inaugurate the new Civil Secretariat, which has been completed recently in Imphal, the source added.
A second source in the security establishment said that plans for the PM’s visit have been in the pipeline, and it was conveyed from the Centre that adequate arrangements must be made, as the intimation for the visit is likely to come at the last minute.
The source added that the initial plan was for the visit to take place before the Parliament’s monsoon session, which is starting on 21 July, but that seems unlikely. The idea was also to ensure some consensus between the two warring groups before the PM’s visit. As a result, several meetings with all stakeholders are being conducted.
If PM Modi does visit, it will be the first time since violence broke out in Manipur on 3 May, 2023, following a tribal solidarity march in the hills against the Meiteis’ demand for a scheduled tribe status.
Modi’s decision to not visit the state since violence erupted has invited bitter criticism from the Opposition, both inside and outside the Parliament.
The ethnic conflict, which has claimed over 200 lives and displaced over 60,000 people, has led to a complete segregation of the two main communities in the state—the predominantly Hindu Meiteis and the tribal Kuki Zo Chin. While the Kukis have fled the Valley, where the Meiteis live, the latter have left their homes and fled from the hills, where the Kukis live.
Also read: Kuki woman killed in ‘crossfire’ in Manipur chose to stay back even at peak of conflict, says niece
Violence under control but tensions prevail
Though violence has by and large been brought under control, tension prevails in the state.
Movement of passenger traffic on the two main national highways has remained disrupted. Though there were attempts to open the national highway, they did not work out, leaving the Meiteis in the Valley no option but to fly out if they had to travel outside the state. Similarly, the Kuki-Zo-Chin population can’t come to the Valley.
The deteriorating law and order situation led the Centre to impose President’s Rule in February this year. The state assembly, though, was not dissolved but put in suspended animation for 6 months. The President’s Rule remains in effect till 12 August. If a government is not installed by then, the Centre can extend it for a maximum of 3 years with parliamentary approvals every 6 months.
But with violence receding, the demand from the BJP MLAs for installation of a popular government has intensified in the past couple of months. Last Saturday, BJP MLAs including former chief minister N. Biren Singh met Manipur BJP president A. Sharda Devi and again pressed for their demand to install a popular government.
But the central BJP leadership is yet to take a call. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had in a recent interview to The Times of India said that a popular government will be installed when the situation is conducive.
The BJP is in a majority in the 60-member assembly, which currently has 59 MLAs following the death of National People’s Party legislator N. Kayisii.
The Centre, on its part, is holding meetings with the civil society organisations in both the Valley and the hills with the aim to restore normalcy. Last month, the MHA also held talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups with whom it had signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
The MHA is looking at extending the SoO agreement, which lapsed in February 2024. It also wants seven out of the 14 designated SoO camps, which are adjoining Meitei dominated areas, to be shut down. Sources in the security establishment said that a decision on this is likely in the next meeting scheduled to take place this month.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)