The Opposition Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack on “frequent flyer” Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged ‘insensitivity towards the suffering of people of Manipur’ as the northeastern state witnessed fresh violence on Saturday night following the arrest of a Meitei leader.

People attempted mass self-immolation and clashed with security personnel in several valley districts, prompting authorities to impose a total curfew in Bishnupur and issue prohibitory orders in several Valley districts.

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Internet services have also been suspended in the Valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur to curb the spread of misinformation.

Reacting to the fresh violence, Congress MP and General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh said: ”The pain, distress, and agony of the people of Manipur continues unabated. For the past 24 hours, five districts–Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Katching, and Bishnupur–have been rocked by violence.”

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Modi over the BJP’s purported claim that he stopped the war between Russia and Ukraine for a while, the Congress leader asked, “When will the PM find the time and inclination to visit Manipur?”

“His drum-beaters once claimed that he had stopped the war between Ukraine and Russia for a while. That claim, like most of his boasts, proved completely bogus. The PM has travelled to different parts of the world and visited numerous states of our country to do his trademark inaugurations. But he has NEVER met with political leaders or civil society organisations from Manipur, having outsourced the management of the state’s affairs to the Union Home Minister, who has failed miserably,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

The Congress MP asserted that people of Manipur were paying the price of PM Modi’s stands, exposed as “callous and complete indifference”.

“The insensitivity of the Frequent Flyer PM to the suffering of the people of Manipur is truly shocking and defies understanding. He stands totally exposed just as the people of the state continue to pay the price of his callous and complete indifference. Their suffering is that of not only the state and the northeastern region but of the entire country,” he remarked.

Highlighting the grave security situation, the Congress leader also questioned the effectiveness of the President’s rule which was imposed in the state in February early this year.

“President’s Rule, however, has made no difference. The Governor himself has been forced to travel from Imphal airport to his residence by helicopter. Law and order in many parts of the state remains in a state of peril,” he added.

Manipur has been marred by ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities since May 2023. So far, more than 260 people have died in the clashes that reportedly began after a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised by the hill-based Kuki community in protest against a High Court order on Meitei community’s Scheduled Tribe status demand.

Amid failing law and order and intense pressure from the Opposition, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh tendered his resignation on February 9, 2025. Days later, President’s rule was imposed and the state assembly was put under suspended animation.