Rights to Visit, But a Failure to Unite

Let’s set aside the debate over those welcoming or opposing the Prime Minister’s visit. As India’s leader, PM Narendra Modi has every right to visit Manipur. The real question is why, after two years and four months of strife, he has not united its communities. Ordinary Manipuris, worn down by conflicts and grief, crave hope, yet find only gestures where action is needed.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit brings a flicker of economic hope, but it falls short of healing Manipur’s heart. Rs 8,500 crore can build roads and hospitals, but only unity—rooted in genuine representation—can rebuild trust. Manipur deserves both, and it deserves them now.

The choice to hold separate meetings in Churachandpur and Imphal feels like a missed opportunity. Manipur is not a vast state like Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, where multiple stops are a logistical necessity. This segmented approach, whether driven by security or politics, deepens the divide. We lost a chance to see our people—torn apart for too long—stand together, even briefly, in a shared vision of reconciliation.

Bearing promises of development and progress, PM Modi will inaugurate and lays foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 8,500 crore, aimed at transforming infrastructure, healthcare, and connectivity. Yet, in a state scarred by division, these ambitious schemes feel like a half-measure. Development is vital, but without unity and genuine representation, Manipur’s wounds remain raw.

The Prime Minister’s visit spotlighted 31 projects, with Rs 7,300 crore allocated for new initiatives in Churachandpur and over Rs 1,200 crore for completed works in Imphal. From the Manipur Urban Roads Project to a new Civil Secretariat, an IT Special Economic Zone, and a super-specialty hospital, these efforts promise better connectivity, jobs, and healthcare. The PM-DevINE scheme and a working women’s hostel further signal hope for a state long hindered by conflict and isolation.

These projects could pave the way for economic growth, linking Manipur’s hills and valleys. But bricks and mortar cannot heal a fractured society. The deeper challenge lies in addressing the human cost of division, which no amount of funding can erase without purposeful action.

In Churachandpur, Kuki leaders would submit dozens of memorandums, pleading for justice, rehabilitation, and protection. In Imphal, Meitei groups echoed similar demands, seeking fairness and resolution. These are not new cries—similar pleas have reached the Prime Minister’s desk for over two years. Had they been met with sincere action, peace might have taken root, sparing families the agony of displacement and loss since 2023.

The flood of memorandums lays bare a painful truth: Manipur’s voices are still unheard. Kukis and Meiteis, once united by shared heritage, now speak through separate channels, divided by mistrust. This visit could have been a moment to listen and act, but the stack of papers only highlights a persistent failure to bridge the gap.

Beyond projects and speeches, Manipur needs a government that truly represents its people. Modi must prioritize installing a popular government, one where legislators from hills and valleys tie their efforts to uniting the state. Without such representation, gathering crowds to clap for speeches feels hollow.

A leader’s visit should inspire unity, not just applause. Without a government that reflects Manipur’s diverse voices, these events risk becoming spectacles that fail to address the state’s deeper pain.

This fragmented visit risks fueling those who profit from discord—politicians and civil society groups who peddle the notion of an unbridgeable “wall” within Manipur. These opportunists exploit ethnic fault lines for their own gain. In his speeches, PM Modi must be crystal clear: those who speak of division or secession will face consequences.

A resolute stand against such rhetoric could silence divisive voices and reaffirm Manipur’s unity. The Bharatiya Janata Party must heed this call: true progress begins with a united legislature. Lawmakers from the hills and valleys must forge a shared vision for a United Manipur. Only then can a government that speaks for all Manipuris emerge, delivering peace and governance that resonates with the people.

Can slogans like Manipur Imana Yaifare, BJP na Yaifare, Modiji Jindabad truly rise from the throats of those who have been crying for justice since 2023? For people weighed down by loss and unanswered pleas, such chants ring empty, mere echoes of political theater rather than genuine hope.

Naorem Mohen

Naorem Mohen is the Editor of Signpost News. Explore his views and opinion on X: @laimacha.