For the first time since ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur in May 2023, the state is set to receive an official visit from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Friday afternoon, Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel formally confirmed the visit, making it the first official acknowledgment of the Prime Minister’s arrival after more than two years of turmoil.
His visit carries immense significance for the violence-scarred state, where tensions continue to simmer despite repeated attempts at peacebuilding.
Preparations in both Imphal and Churachandpur have been underway for several days, with heightened security and extensive logistical planning.
On Thursday night, posters welcoming the Prime Minister were erected across the state capital, signaling the importance of the visit.
According to Chief Secretary Goel, the Prime Minister will arrive in Kuki-Zo-majority Churachandpur district at around 12:30 pm from Aizawl on Saturday. His itinerary includes a direct interaction with internally displaced people — men, women, and children who have been forced out of their homes due to conflict.
The PM will also lay the foundation stone for key development projects in Churachandpur before addressing the public.
Following his engagement in Churachandpur, the Prime Minister will travel to Imphal. Here too, he is scheduled to meet displaced families, lay new foundations, and inaugurate existing development projects.
The Chief Secretary confirmed that the PM will lay foundation stones for projects worth ₹7,300 crore and inaugurate completed works valued at ₹1,200 crore, signaling a strong focus on rebuilding infrastructure and confidence in the state.
For Manipur, this visit comes at a pivotal moment. Over the past 27 months, the state has witnessed prolonged violence, displacement, a breakdown of law and order, and the strengthening of armed groups on both sides of the divide.
The violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has not only fractured the state socially but also hardened geographical boundaries, with the valley districts dominated by Meiteis and the hill districts dominated by Kuki-Zos turning into zones of near-total separation.
Even today, more than 57,000 people remain displaced, living in over 280 relief camps spread across the state.
While the government announced a three-phase resettlement plan in July this year, aiming to close down camps by year’s end, little progress has been visible on the ground. Families have lived in limbo for more than two years, uncertain of when — or if — they will return to their homes.
The Union Home Ministry has been holding separate negotiations with groups on both sides. Recently, the government renewed its Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups under the Kuki National Organisation and the United People’s Front.
However, despite such efforts, trust between the communities remains fragile, and the specter of violence continues to hover over the state.
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Modi’s visit is not just symbolic but also carries the weight of expectation.
Many in Manipur believe his presence could mark the beginning of genuine reconciliation, healing, and a stronger political will to restore peace.
Beyond infrastructure and economic aid, what the people of Manipur are yearning for is a sense of security, unity, and hope that their fractured social fabric can be rebuilt.
Whether the PM’s visit will become a turning point in ending the long cycle of unrest remains to be seen, but for a state torn apart for over two years, his arrival is a beacon of renewed attention from the nation’s highest office.
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