Marking two years since the Manipur conflict erupted, Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, lambasted PM Modi for neglecting his “Rajdharma” and failing to visit the state. The party called for immediate fresh elections, citing the continued instability and questioning the effectiveness of President’s Rule in addressing the deep-seated ethnic divisions.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi: As Manipur marked a grim second anniversary of the devastating ethnic violence that fractured the state, the Congress party intensified its assault on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the crisis. In a scathing press conference and a flurry of social media posts on Saturday, senior Congress leaders accused the Prime Minister of a dereliction of “Rajdharma” and demanded immediate fresh elections as the only viable path to restoring peace in the strife-torn region.
“The silence of the Prime Minister on Manipur is deafening and speaks volumes about his priorities,” declared Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge during a press briefing at the party headquarters. “Despite the horrific loss of over 260 lives, the injury of 1,500 people, and the displacement of more than 70,000 of our own citizens since May 3rd, 2023, the Prime Minister has not deemed it necessary to even set foot in Manipur. This is a stark failure to uphold ‘Rajdharma’ – the duty of a ruler.”
Kharge amplified his criticism in a pointed post on X, directly tagging the Prime Minister. “Manipur is observing two years of violence without the Prime Minister setting foot on its soil,” he wrote. “Just two days ago, 25 people were injured in a violent clash in Tamenglong district. More than 260 people have died. 68,000 people displaced and thousands are still living in relief camps.”
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The Congress President then posed a series of direct questions to Modi, underscoring his perceived neglect of the state. “Since January 2022, your last election rally in Manipur, you have made 44 foreign visits around the globe and 250 domestic visits across the nation, yet you have not spent a single second in Manipur. Why this apathy and disdain for the people of Manipur? Where is the political accountability?” Kharge questioned, his voice resonating with indignation.
He further challenged the efficacy of the “double-engine” government – a reference to the BJP’s governance at both the state and central levels – in ensuring the safety and security of Manipur’s citizens. “Why did your double-engine government fail in its constitutional duty to provide security and safety for its citizens? And why did you not sack the Chief Minister earlier, when the situation was clearly spiraling out of control?”
Kharge also castigated the imposition of President’s Rule, which occurred on February 13th following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. “Your double assault government is still failing Manipur. Despite the home ministry’s rule in place now, incidents of violence haven’t stopped,” he asserted, suggesting that the change in administration had not translated to tangible improvements on the ground.
“They passed a resolution to impose President’s rule in a hurried manner, at 2 am midnight, simply to hide their rank incompetence,” Kharge alleged, questioning the government’s motives and effectiveness. He further inquired about the lack of progress on the peace committee announced by the Home Minister and the absence of a special financial package for the devastated state. “Why didn’t you meet the affected people of all communities even in Delhi? Why didn’t you announce a special package for the state?” he demanded. Kharge concluded his remarks with a firm reiteration: “Modi ji, once again, you failed upholding –Rajdharma!!”
Manipur observes two years of violence without the Prime Minister setting foot on its soil.
The violence began on May 3, 2023 and still continues. Just two days ago, 25 people were injured in a violent clash in Tamenglong district.
More than 260 people have died. 68,000 people… pic.twitter.com/zZ1pyUGJC9
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 3, 2025
Saptagiri Ulaka, the Congress’s Manipur in-charge, painted a grim picture of the ongoing crisis, labeling it “one of the gravest humanitarian crises in India.” Speaking to reporters, Ulaka echoed the sentiment of a manufactured crisis. “People fear that this violence was manufactured, and two years have now gone by with little to no accountability.”
ALSO READ: Manipur — Two years on: People deserve lasting peace, justice, and security.
He directly criticized the Prime Minister’s conspicuous absence. “We have been demanding a discussion on Manipur in Parliament since the beginning of this crisis, but Modi ji did not break his silence. We had been demanding the imposition of President’s rule to control the situation, but it was only imposed after 20 months. The current situation on the ground is far from normal despite the imposition of President’s rule,” Ulaka stated emphatically.
Ulaka then laid out the Congress party’s key demand: “We want the Centre to declare fresh elections so that a popular people’s government could be elected in Manipur. The violence in the state is not ending, and a government with a fresh mandate, trusted by all communities, is the need of the hour.” He also claimed that the imposition of President’s Rule was a preemptive measure to avoid a no-confidence motion initiated by the Congress in the state assembly. Describing the government’s attitude as “callous,” Ulaka stressed the fundamental desire of the people. “The people of Manipur want the Prime Minister to visit the state, bring back peace, and give a human touch, and to ensure the return of the displaced to their homes.”
Adding his voice to the chorus of criticism, the Congress’ Manipur unit chief, Keisham Meghachandra Singh, directly accused the ruling BJP of instigating the violence. “The BJP is the architect of this devastating violence, and their actions clearly demonstrate that they are not serious about ending it,” he asserted. “There is a lack of proper use of the constitutional machinery, and that is why the violence is continuing. We, the people of Manipur, don’t have any trust left in the Narendra Modi government even after President’s rule. We demand fresh elections. We believe if a Congress government comes to power in the state, we can bring peace.”
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Singh made a direct appeal to the people of Manipur. “Force cannot bring peace, and the BJP cannot bring peace. When the constitutional machinery has failed, we want to have a fresh mandate.”
Congress General Secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, provided a historical context, highlighting the BJP’s initial strong mandate in Manipur. “The BJP formed a government in Manipur with a massive mandate in February 2022, and exactly two years ago on this day, sectarian violence erupted in the state,” Ramesh pointed out. “What began on May 3, 2023, therefore, was the self-dictated, self-directed derailment of the so-called double-engine ‘sarkar’ in the state. Three months later, the Supreme Court was compelled to declare that there had been an absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state.”
Ramesh lamented the continuing suffering and lack of meaningful reconciliation. “The anguish and suffering of Manipur continues. Political games are being played. No worthwhile reconciliation process is underway. Over 60,000 internally displaced persons continue to live in relief camps in conditions of great stress.”
He reserved his strongest criticism for the Prime Minister’s perceived indifference. “Most importantly, the Prime Minister continues to avoid and shun Manipur. He has met with nobody from the state. He has gone all over the world but has not found the time nor the inclination nor the sensitivity to visit the troubled state and reach out to the people there.” Ramesh concluded by denouncing the Home Minister’s role as a “big failure” and urging Modi to finally engage with the crisis. “Manipur deserved better, and the people were waiting for the Prime Minister to reach Imphal and travel around the beautiful state and extend a healing touch — at least to the extent that he was capable.”
