PM Modi Likely To Visit Manipur On This Date In First Trip Since 2023 Ethnic Violence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to Mizoram and Manipur on September 13, according to officials in Aizawl. According to news agency PTI, sources said the Prime Minister will first inaugurate the new Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram.

“From Aizawl, the PM will fly to Manipur, marking his first visit since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023,” multiple Mizoram government officials told reporters, as per PTI. However, they added that the final itinerary has not yet been officially released. Authorities in Imphal have not confirmed the visit.

Preparations Underway in Mizoram

Mizoram Chief Secretary Khilli Ram Meena convened a high-level meeting on Monday with law enforcement and various government departments to review arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit. The discussion included security measures, traffic management, reception protocols, and street decorations.

The meeting also addressed how government employees, students, and farmers from across the state could participate in the inauguration ceremony at Lammaul in Aizawl, a statement from the Mizoram government said.

The 51.38-kilometre railway line is part of the Centre’s Act East Policy, aimed at enhancing connectivity and economic integration across India’s northeastern region. It will connect Aizawl to Assam’s Silchar, linking the state more closely with the national railway network.

Ethnic Violence in Manipur

PM Modi’s likely visit is his first since the ethnic violence in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, following a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised by the All Tribal Student Union of Manipur (ATSUM). The protest was triggered by a Manipur High Court recommendation to include the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.

Tribal communities, particularly the Kuki-Zo, feared that granting ST status to Meiteis could allow them to acquire land in constitutionally protected hill districts, thereby reducing their existing affirmative action benefits. The march escalated into violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, rapidly spreading across the region.