Manipur Congress slams PM Modi for "ignoring" ongoing violence in state

Imphal: The Congress party in Manipur sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to address the state's ongoing ethnic violence during his virtual inauguration of multi-crore projects on Saturday.

Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur, Congress leader and former MLA, accused the BJP-led central and state governments of neglecting the crucial issue of restoring peace in Manipur.

He pointed out the Prime Minister's silence on the clashes between Meiteis and Kukis, which have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands.

"Launching projects worth crores while Manipur burns for 10 months is unacceptable," Arthur stated while speaking to the media at Congress Bhavan in Imphal.

"It's high time the Prime Minister addressed the prevailing situation and took concrete steps for immediate peace restoration", he added.

Arthur's criticism came after PM Modi virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 81 projects in Manipur from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

The projects, valued at approximately Rs 3,500 crore, include both new initiatives and foundation stones for ongoing ones.

The Congress leader argued that addressing the violence should be the Prime Minister's top priority.

"Speaking out about the Manipur issue is essential for achieving elusive peace, and there's no alternative," he added.

Arthur further warned that the Prime Minister's "eerie silence" on the issue would not aid development, especially with elections approaching.