IMPHAL : Congress MP from Inner Manipur, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, on September 3 demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to the people of the violence-hit state for the hardships they have been enduring since ethnic clashes erupted last year.

Akoijam said that if the Prime Minister visits Manipur this month, as speculated in sections of the media, he must not limit it to a symbolic appearance but acknowledge the pain and suffering of the citizens. “The Prime Minister should apologise to the people if he has any shame.

The visit should not be a symbolic gesture but an acknowledgement of the suffering faced by the citizens,” the Congress leader asserted.

Opposition parties have repeatedly criticised Modi for not visiting Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023, which has so far claimed at least 260 lives and displaced thousands. President’s Rule was imposed in the state earlier this year after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned in February.

Reports suggest Modi may combine his Mizoram visit this month with a trip to Manipur. The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive in Mizoram on September 12 and inaugurate the Bairabi-Sairang railway line the next day. However, senior Manipur government officials and BJP leaders said there has been no official confirmation of his Manipur visit.

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