NEW DELHI: The Congress party has labeled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur a “pit stop,” accusing him of engaging in “tokenism” that insults the state’s residents. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Modi for arranging a lavish welcome for himself, describing it as a “cruel prick” to the suffering of the people. Kharge questioned Modi’s commitment to his duties, stating, “Where is your Rajdharma?” just before the Prime Minister’s arrival. He asserted, “Narendra Modi ji, your 3-hour pit stop in Manipur is not compassion — it’s farce, tokenism, and a grave insult to wounded people.
Your so-called roadshow in Imphal and Churachandpur today, is nothing but a cowardly escape from hearing the cries of people in relief camps!” Kharge highlighted the ongoing violence in the state, mentioning that there have been 864 days of conflict resulting in 300 deaths, 67,000 displacements, and over 1,500 injuries. He pointed out that while Modi has made 46 foreign trips, he has not visited Manipur to express sympathy towards his fellow citizens since his last election campaign visit in January 2022. Kharge further criticized Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their failure to prevent violence, suggesting that their incompetence has been hidden by the imposition of President’s Rule.
He emphasized that the BJP is responsible for maintaining law and order and accused the Union government of hesitation in addressing these issues. Kharge added, “This hush-hush pit stop isn’t repentance. It’s not even guilt. You are organizing a grand welcome ceremony for yourself. It is a cruel prick to the wounds of those still suffering because of your own abdication of basic constitutional responsibilities!” In Wayanad, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also condemned Modi, stating he should have visited Manipur much earlier.
She expressed relief that he finally chose to visit after two years, lamenting the prolonged violence and loss of life in the region, which she believes is inconsistent with the actions of previous prime ministers in India.