The BRICS TimesAhead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit, security has been tightened in Imphal and Churachandpur. A central security team has reached Churachandpur, while police and paramilitary forces are deployed with barricades placed on roads leading to Peace Ground.
PM Modi to Launch Projects Worth ₹8,500 Crore in Manipur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur tomorrow to launch and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth ₹8,500 crore. This will be his first visit to the state since the ethnic clashes between Kukis and Meiteis erupted in May 2023. The violence claimed more than 260 lives and displaced thousands of people.
Officials confirmed that PM Modi will inaugurate infrastructure projects worth ₹1,200 crore in Imphal, the Meitei-dominated capital city. He will also lay the foundation stone for projects worth ₹7,300 crore at Peace Ground in Churachandpur, where Kukis are in the majority.
Confirmation After Days of Speculation
For the past few days, speculation had been circulating that the Prime Minister might combine his official trip to Mizoram with a visit to Manipur. However, neither the government nor the BJP confirmed these reports. On Thursday evening, the government installed a large billboard announcing PM Modi’s program on September 13 at Peace Ground in Churachandpur and at Kangla Fort in the state capital.
Manipur Under President’s Rule
The hoarding was placed at the busy Keishampat Junction in Imphal, close to the BJP state headquarters. More such billboards are expected across the state. Since Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned in February, Manipur has been under President’s Rule.
Administration Issues Advisory for Public Gathering
Earlier in the day, the administration issued an advisory for people attending the VVIP program at Peace Ground on September 13. The notice instructed visitors not to carry keys, pens, water bottles, bags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, lighters, matchboxes, cloth pieces, sharp objects, or any weapons and ammunition.
Although the notification did not directly mention the Prime Minister’s name, it advised the public to avoid bringing children below 12 years and individuals with health issues to the venue. Manipur’s lone Rajya Sabha MP, Leishemba Sanajaoba, described the Prime Minister’s visit as highly auspicious for the people and the state.
BJP MP Calls It a Historic Occasion
The BJP leader remarked that it was a privilege for the people that PM Modi will listen to their hardships. He pointed out that Manipur has a long history of violent clashes, but no Prime Minister ever visited during such troubled times to engage directly with the public. Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit under these difficult circumstances. In a video message, Sanajaoba urged everyone to welcome the Prime Minister and refrain from any form of boycott.
State on High Alert Ahead of Visit
Meanwhile, officials revealed that security has been heightened in both Imphal and Churachandpur ahead of the visit. A team of central security officers has already reached Churachandpur. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed, and barricades are in place on roads leading to Peace Ground to ensure smooth movement and safety.
