As Manipur bid farewell to acclaimed playwright and cultural icon Ratan Thiyam, political tensions flared with Congress accusing Prime Minister Modi of not offering even a tribute to him.
By PC Bureau
July 27, 2025: The Congress party has strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not expressing condolences on the passing of Ratan Thiyam, one of India’s most respected theatre personalities, who died in Imphal on July 23 at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness. His death triggered an outpouring of grief across Manipur and among India’s cultural fraternity.
Taking to social media, Congress MP from Inner Manipur, Dr. Bimol Akoijam, expressed deep disappointment, stating:
“Indeed, if Oja Ratan Thiyam were from the so-called ‘mainland’ or ‘mainstream’ India, things would have been different. The PM did express condolences when theatre/film actors like Satish Kaushik and Tom Alter passed away… But this should give us a lesson on where we stand in the scheme of things in this country!”
Indeed, if Oja Ratan Thiyam were from the so-called “mainland” or “mainstream” India, things would have been different. The PM did express condolences when theatre/film actors like Satish Kaushik and Tom Alter passed away…But this should give us a lesson on where we stand in… https://t.co/zzbrB3J8G6
— A. Bimol Akoijam (@Bimol_Akoijam) July 24, 2025
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed these sentiments, saying:
“Ratan Thiyam, one of India’s greatest cultural personalities whose contributions have been recognised globally, has just passed away in Imphal. All of Manipur has saluted him. Sadly, the PM does not find it appropriate to extend his condolences even through a post on X. This is not only another instance of his insensitivity but also an insult to the people of Manipur.”
While Prime Minister Modi was active on X (formerly Twitter) the same day—posting tributes to Lokmanya Tilak and Chandra Shekhar Azad before heading to the UK and Maldives—he made no public mention of Thiyam’s passing.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla called Thiyam’s death a “monumental loss” to Indian theatre and said his contributions would be “remembered forever.” The state government declared July 24 as a day of mourning, and thousands attended his final rites in Imphal West.
Ramesh also linked the Prime Minister’s silence to his ongoing absence from the state amid a violent ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that has claimed over 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people since May 3, 2023.
Since May 3rd, 2023, when Manipur erupted and the extreme distress, pain, and agony of the people there began, the Prime Minister has not found the time nor has he shown any inclination to visit the state. For the past 26 months, he has also totally avoided meeting political…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 26, 2025
“For over 26 months, the Prime Minister has neither visited Manipur nor engaged with its political leaders or civil society groups,” Ramesh noted.
Ratan Thiyam, a Padma Shri and Sahitya Natak Akademi awardee, was widely known not only for his contribution to modern Indian theatre through his fusion of traditional Manipuri and contemporary performance but also for his political convictions. In 2001, he returned his Padma Shri in protest against the Centre’s extension of the NSCN (IM) ceasefire into Manipur without consulting local stakeholders. In 2023, he declined to join the Union Home Ministry’s peace committee on Manipur, arguing that resolving the crisis needed “strong political will” rather than token gestures.
His death has reignited questions about the Centre’s sensitivity towards Manipur and its treatment of voices from the Northeast.
