PM Modi Meets Violence Victims in Manipur, Launches ₹7,300-Crore Development Projects

Churachandpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met victims of ethnic violence in Manipur’s Churachandpur during his first visit to the state in two years, since unrest erupted in May 2023.

The conflict between the valley-majority Meitei community and Kuki tribes in the surrounding hills has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced nearly 50,000 people. Many of those Modi met were families still living in relief camps after losing their homes in the clashes.

Ahead of his address at Churachandpur’s Peace Ground, the Prime Minister interacted with children, receiving a bouquet and a painting, and donned a traditional feathered hat gifted to him.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over ₹7,300 crore in Churachandpur district. These include the Manipur Urban Roads, Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project (₹3,600 crore), five National Highway projects (₹2,500 crore), the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, and working women’s hostels at nine locations, among others.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister described Manipur as a land of “courage and determination,” adding that the vibrancy of the state reflects “India’s great strength.” He highlighted his government’s investments since 2014 to boost connectivity, noting that budgets for railway, road, and air infrastructure in the state had been “increased several times.”

At the core of Manipur’s conflict lie competing demands: the Meiteis, who fall under the general category, have sought recognition as a Scheduled Tribe, while the Kukis—who share close ethnic ties with Myanmar’s Chin community and Mizoram—have pushed for a separate administration, citing marginalisation and unequal access to land and resources.