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NEW DELHI — The Congress' Manipur chief K Meghachandra on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the violence-hit state, stressing that his visit would provide great strength to restore peace and normalcy there.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared Meghachandra's letter to the prime minister on X and said the Manipur Congress chief had made yet another "anguished plea to the non-biological prime minister" to visit Manipur.
"Will he finally summon the courage to do so?" Ramesh asked.
The President of the Manipur PCC K Meghachandra Singh (@meghachandra_k) has made yet another anguished plea to the non biological PM to visit Manipur. Will he finally summon the courage to do so? pic.twitter.com/8OLehTBS34
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 13, 2024
In his letter, Meghachandra said, "I, on behalf of the people of Manipur and also as a citizen of India from the state of Manipur, invite you for your visit in my state, Manipur, which has been in turmoil for the last 16 months since the 3rd of May, 2023."
"The people of Manipur have been eagerly waiting for your presence in the state to place their voices of helplessness to you since the 3rd of May, 2023. As you are also aware that the turmoil has devastated the entire state with nearly a lakh of human population being internally displaced and hundreds of human lives being taken away, leaving the entire state into a complete chaos," the Manipur Congress chief said.
Moreover, the recent attacks through aerial bombings using sophisticated drones, RPGs and missiles on civilians since September 1 have further escalated the turmoil with unprecedented pain, trauma, fear and complete helplessness among the people of Manipur, he said.
"I, therefore, humbly, plead for your visit in the state, at the earliest; as your visit, for the sake of humanity, would be of great strength in restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur. The people of Manipur are longing to meet you on the soil of Manipur," Meghachandra said.
In a post on X earlier, Ramesh said, "Today, Poknapham, the widely circulated Manipuri newspaper, has a prominent front-page story saying that the state BJP has been asked by the BJP HQ in New Delhi to close its palatial office in Imphal."
State BJP office bearers have also been told to remain on high alert, he said.
"What is happening in Manipur? The governor is part-time and based in Guwahati. For the past 45 days, the chief secretary has not been in the state. And of course the non-biological prime minister has not found the time or the inclination to visit Manipur," Ramesh said.
More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.