Prominent Meitei Civil society group. COCOMI urged Modi to act beyond symbolism, demanding NRC implementation, IDP resettlement, and an end to SoO-linked “proxy wars.”
BY PC Bureau
September 13, 2025 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Manipur since the ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023, was met with a sharply polarized response on Saturday, with hill districts rolling out a warm welcome while valley-based groups unleashed boycotts, shutdowns, and scathing criticism.
Modi’s brief stopover, part of a five-state Northeast tour, included inaugurating projects worth over ₹8,500 crore and interacting with displaced families. Yet, many in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley dismissed the visit as “tokenism” , warning that it risks deepening distrust in a state scarred by more than 260 deaths and the displacement of over 60,000 people.
In Churachandpur, a Kuki-majority hill district, colorful hoardings, life-size cut-outs, and elaborate welcome gates were put up to greet Modi at Peace Ground. But the response in Imphal Valley, however, was markedly colder.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) pressed Modi to go beyond what it called “symbolic optics” and address the state’s unresolved flashpoints. Its demands included the detection of illegal immigrants, implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), dignified resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and an end to the “proxy war” it links to Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements with militant groups. Convenor Khuraijam Athouba cautioned that keeping thousands confined to relief camps for over 28 months has “deepened trauma and eroded trust,” insisting that IDPs deserve both security and dignity. He warned that without decisive steps to tackle terrorism and demographic pressures, “peace will remain hollow.”
VIDEO | Manipur: Heavy security deployed in Imphal ahead of PM Modi's visit on Saturday.
During his visit to the strife-torn state, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the new Manipur Police Headquarters worth Rs 101 crore and a Rs 538 crore Civil Secretariat, among 17 projects… pic.twitter.com/4fqXn2bjLS
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 12, 2025
The All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) branded the visit “unwelcome,” accusing Modi of arriving only for “political mileage.” President Nando Luwang said, “Had he come immediately after the bloodshed of May 2023, people would have rolled out the red carpet. After two years of silence, no one expects anything.”
READ: Development Gap Ignored: 60% of PM’s Package Goes to Imphal Valley
However, the Federation of Civil Society Organizations (FOCS), a Meitei civil society body, struck a more conciliatory note compared to other valley-based groups. FOCS extended a formal welcome and emphasized that Modi’s visit must pave the way for genuine dialogue and reconciliation.
FOCS leaders highlighted three major demands:
- Restoring free movement across buffer zones separating communities, which have restricted interaction and trade for over two years.
- Ensuring inclusive policies that address both hill and valley grievances to prevent further polarization.
- Institutional peacebuilding measures, including confidence-building dialogues and assurances that the state would not slide back into cycles of mistrust.
“Peace cannot be built on token inaugurations. The people need policies that bridge divides, not deepen them,” a FOCS spokesperson said, urging Modi to use his stature to create space for healing and political settlement.
Boycott and Shutdown
Adding to tensions, the Working Group of Meira Paibi, the Meitei women’s vigilante collective, declared a boycott and staged protests under the banner “Go Back Modi – The Butcher.” General Secretary Kh. Apabi Leima alleged that the Prime Minister’s trip could be “another strategy to completely sabotage Manipur,” pointing to the May 2023 violence—blamed on illegal immigrants—that left behind a grim trail of deaths, sexual assaults, and mass displacement.
READ: Black Day vs. PM Visit: KSOSH Stands Firm on Sept 13
Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee (CorCom), a coalition of six insurgent groups, enforced a 24-hour shutdown that shut down markets, including Imphal’s famous Ima Keithel. Security personnel remained on high alert after protesters torched Modi posters.
