While PM Modi praised the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day, Congress hit back, accusing him of ignoring the state’s plight and failing to visit or meet with local leaders amidst the ongoing crisis.
BY PC Bureau
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the people of Manipur on Statehood Day, praising their role in India’s development. However, his message has been met with criticism from the Congress party, which accused him of hypocrisy for not visiting the state since violence erupted in May 2023.
“Greetings to the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day. We are incredibly proud of the role played by the people of Manipur towards India’s development. My best wishes for the progress of Manipur,” the PM said in a post on X.
Greetings to the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day. We are incredibly proud of the role played by the people of Manipur towards India’s development. My best wishes for the progress of Manipur.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 21, 2025
The Congress party quickly criticized his message as “hollow” and accused him of hypocrisy, citing his continued failure to visit the state since the violence erupted on May 3, 2023. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, “The Prime Minister, who has sent a social media greeting on Statehood Day, has stubbornly refused to visit Manipur even once during its ongoing crisis. He has traveled around the world, yet refuses to engage with the people of Manipur in their time of need.”
The formerly non-biological – and now suddenly human – Prime Minister has just sent greetings to the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day through social media.
Yet, he has stubbornly refused to visit Manipur even briefly ever since its agony began on May 3, 2023. He has gone…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 21, 2025
Ramesh also pointed out that Modi had not met with MLAs from his own party, nor had he met with the Chief Minister, Members of Parliament, or any civil society organizations in Manipur. He called the Statehood Day greeting “empty” and labeled the Prime Minister’s inaction as “hypocrisy.”
The Congress demanded that Modi visit Manipur immediately, stressing that his failure to do so is an abdication of his responsibility as Prime Minister. “Outsourcing Manipur’s crisis to the Union Home Minister has proven disastrous,” said Ramesh.
The last time Modi addressed the Manipur issue was in August 2023, when he accused opposition parties of betraying the state. In his remarks, he referred to them as ‘GHAMANDIA’ (arrogant) and called for a focused discussion on the issue, facilitated by the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.
Best wishes to the people of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura on their Foundation Day!
The rich diversity of languages, cultures, histories, and traditions in these states represents the true strength of India.
May this special day strengthen our unity and bring peace, progress… pic.twitter.com/XvLbWFDOqf
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 21, 2025
Meanwhile, Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday extended greetings to the people of Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on their 53rd Statehood Day.
In a social media post on X, Rahul Gandhi said wished for peace, progress and prosperity for the people of the state.
“Best wishes to the people of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura on their Foundation Day! The rich diversity of languages, cultures, histories, and traditions in these states represents the true strength of India. May this special day strengthen our unity and bring peace, progress and prosperity to all,” Gandhi posted on X.
Extending greetings to the people of Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on their 53rd Statehood Day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that these states have made significant contributions to the development of our nation.
Congress President also wished for the peace, prosperity, and comprehensive progress of these states.
Taking to X, Kharge wrote, “On the occasion of the Foundation Day of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura, we convey our sincere felicitations to the people of these states. Since attaining statehood 53 years ago, these states, endowed with breathtaking natural beauty, remarkable diversity, and exceptional ingenuity, have made significant contributions to the development of our nation. We earnestly wish for their enduring peace, prosperity, and comprehensive progress.”
Manipur, along with Tripura, was granted statehood under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act of 1971 on January 21, 1972.
