"Working to restore peace...": PM Modi speaks on Manipur a day after Lok Sabha Uproar

"The government is continuously making efforts to normalise the situation in Manipur,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, responding to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address. This comes a day after the Opposition had taken to spirited sloganeering, urging the Prime Minister to speak on the strife-torn state of Manipur. However, in his address spanning over 2 hours, PM Modi did not utter a word on the North Eastern state.

"The government is continuously making efforts to normalise the situation in Manipur. More than 11,000 FIRs have been registered and over 500 people arrested. Incidents of violence are continuously reducing in Manipur. Today, schools, colleges, offices and other institutions are open in the state. Central & State govt is talking to all stakeholders to restore peace,” said the Prime Minister stating that the Union Home Minister has spent weeks in the strife-torn state trying to restore peace and normalcy.

Launching a veiled attack on the Congress, the Prime Minister warned that people allegedly trying to fan the fire in Manipur, that there will come a time when the citizens of the state will reject them. “I warn those who are trying to add the fuel to fire in Manipur. There will come a time when the people of Manipur will reject such elements,” said PM Modi, assuring that his government is committed to the cause of the people of Manipur.

“People acquainted with the history of Manipur know that there has been a longstanding history of social clashes. The roots of such clashes run very deep, and no one can ignore that. The Congress must not forget that they had imposed President’s rule in Manipur 10 times, however, this has not happened in our regime,” asserted Narendra Modi taking a dig at the Congress.

This is the second occasion in over a year that the Prime Minister extensively addressed the issue of Manipur in Parliament. Interestingly, both instances followed the Opposition's urging for him to speak about the challenges faced by the people of Manipur due to ethnic clashes. The first time the Prime Minister addressed Manipur was in August 2023, after the Opposition tabled a motion of no confidence. The second time occurred on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha, a day after the Opposition persistently chanted slogans throughout his 134-minute speech, demanding that PM Modi address the situation in Manipur. However, during his entire address in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister did not mention Manipur at all.

In the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha Congress MP from the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency raised the issue of his state in the floor of the house. You treat them as other, the silence on Manipur isn’t unique. It is a reminder of ‘rashtra chetna’ (nationalism) that excludes people. It is sad to see that a nationalist party like BJP will feel comfortable with this silence. Keep your hand on your heart and think about the sixty thousand people who are still languishing in camps. I will go quiet if the PM speaks out”, asserted Dr Bimol Akoijam as the clock ticked towards the midnight. Akoijam spoke post 11.40pm on Monday night, he was the last person to speak before the house got adjourned.

Manipur has been grappling with violent ethnic clashes that have rocked the state for over a year now. These clashes have resulted in the loss of more than 200 lives and displaced over 60,000 people.