MORE THAN two years after Manipur erupted in ethnic violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the state this month. The PM is scheduled to be in Assam and Mizoram on September 13-14, and sources said he may visit Manipur too.
“The PM’s visit to the state is imminent. We cannot say the exact date now as too many factors have to be taken into account before making the final announcement. But he is visiting the state,” an informed source in Manipur said.
The Opposition has often attacked Modi for not visiting Manipur even once since the clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis in the state began, leaving over 250 dead and more than 57,000 displaced. Since February 13 this year, the state has been under President’s rule, and has seen relative normalcy.
The PM is likely to fly to Imphal from Mizoram, where he is slated to inaugurate a railway project on September 13.
An indication of the coming visit was a meeting chaired on Sunday by Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, which was described as a “preparatory meeting for the proposed VVIP visit in September 2025”, with several officials in attendance. According to proceedings of the meeting, police were directed to make security arrangements for two venues: the Kangla Fort in Imphal, which is the traditional seat of power in Manipur; and the Peace Ground in Churachandpur.
While Imphal is located in the Meitei-dominated Manipur valley, Churachandpur is a Kuki-majority district and borders its hill areas.
The Manipur DGP has sent out a notice citing “exigencies of duty” and directing that no leave be granted to any official or personnel between September 7 and 14, barring “extreme emergencies”.
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In the state, reactions to the PM’s likely visit are mixed. While many see it as coming “too late”, Ginza Vualzong, the spokesperson of the Kuki Zo Council, hoped that Modi would meet representatives and leaders of the community. The BJP government in Manipur, under which the violence began, was seen as pro-Meitei.
“If he is stopping by Manipur to understand our hardship and address our issues, then it will be very good. We expect him to sit with our leaders to understand our situation and demands. We also expect him to visit relief camps to see the hardships our IDPs (internally displaced people) face,” Vualzong said.
Jeetendra Ningomba, advisor to the Imphal-based COCOMI, which is an organisation of Meitei civil society groups, said that he hoped Modi’s visit “would bring some significant step towards resolution or peace”.
In recent months, there has been a growing clamour among NDA MLAs for the end of President’s rule in Manipur and the restoration of a popular government. The leaders demanding the same include former BJP chief minister N Biren Singh and MLAs close to him, as well as those bitterly opposed to the Meitei leader, who hold him responsible for the crisis in the state.
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There is a perception that the Modi government has not done enough to bring normalcy – including persisting with Biren till February this year, when he resigned and paved the way for President’s rule.
One of the MLAs who has been seeking the restoration of a popular government said they expect the PM to make an announcement in this regard as well as unveil a rehabilitation package for those displaced due to the violence.
BJP MLA Biswajit Singh Thongam, one of those seen as close to Biren, claimed the Centre has been working towards restoration of peace on priority. “Both the office of the Governor (former Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, who took over as Governor in December 2024) and the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) have been making efforts to bring peace to the state. People should appreciate it and we should support it,” Thongam said.
Officials at the Centre said the nitty-gritties of the PM’s programme are yet to be worked out, but that Modi is likely to visit both the Meitei-dominated Valley and Kuki-majority hills. According to officials, the PM may make public addresses at both places as well as visit refugee camps on the two sides. It is not clear whether he will also meet civil society groups on either side.
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Government sources added that the PM’s visit has been in the works for almost a year, and that on several occasions, it had to be put off after elaborate arrangements had been made. A few months back, the Manipur administration had even prepared special helipads purportedly for Modi’s visit.
Both the political community and the administrative set-up in Manipur have been signalling to Delhi for over a year that a visit by the PM can act as a balm on the wounds of the state and instill confidence among civil society groups and masses that Delhi is committed to ushering in peace in the state.
“Since the PM is already visiting Mizoram and Assam, it is only good to include Manipur. This is also the right time to visit. Violence is considerably down, there have been months of peace, administration is now in full control of affairs after President’s rule was imposed, and rival groups are meaningfully engaged in talks with Delhi. The PM’s visit in this more predictable atmosphere can have a positive impact,” a senior official said.
A security establishment officer pointed out that Modi could have hardly visited Manipur while violence raged in the state. “With both sides firing rockets and mortars at each other, a visit then would have been a security risk. Also, that was a time when attacks were being timed with VIP visits to attract attention. Now that everyone is engaged in talks, one hopes the PM’s visit will be more fruitful,” the officer said.
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While an official word on the visit is still awaited, Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh slammed Modi for taking time out for Manipur now, 27 months after the violence began. “It appears that the PM may finally summon up the courage and empathy to visit Manipur briefly on September 13. But that may be a case of TLTL – too little too late,” he said.