The Manipur issue took center stage in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, March 11, as opposition members strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the strife-torn state and slammed the Union government’s handling of the ongoing crisis.

The discussion arose during deliberations on Manipur’s Budget for 2025-26, alongside supplementary and excess demands for grants.

Both Manipur MPs raised concerns that the budget failed to address the plight of nearly 60,000 people displaced by the prolonged violence, calling the financial outlay “anti-people” and disconnected from ground realities.

Outer Manipur MP Alfred Kangam Arthur pointed out that crucial welfare allocations, including MGNREGA funds, had not been disbursed since 2023. He also criticized the budget for not maintaining a separate financial section for the state’s hills and valleys, a mandatory requirement under Home Ministry directives.

“This budget does not account for the homes destroyed, the people displaced, or the Rs 20,000 crore in damages. My state may be small, but we are not insignificant. We are equal citizens of this country,” Arthur asserted.

Frustrated with the government’s inaction, he even suggested he might relinquish his seat, stating, “Coming here and speaking repeatedly, only to see no action, is painful.”

PM’s Absence Questioned

Inner Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam highlighted the state’s exclusion, emphasizing that presenting its budget in Parliament instead of the state assembly itself was a testament to its precarious condition.

“In 2023, I was hurt that the Prime Minister did not visit Manipur. Today, I am indifferent. His visit no longer matters. But let the country know that there is no visa requirement for the Prime Minister to visit Manipur. He speaks of peace in Ukraine while his own citizens are being slaughtered, and over 60,000 remain homeless,” Akoijam said.

Citing Manipur’s fiscal liability of 37.07% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), he stressed the need for urgent financial aid from the Centre.

“We are not seeking UN interventions or international funds—we are simply asking for support from our own government,” Akoijam asserted.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also demanded accountability, recalling that during the 2023 no-confidence motion debate, Modi had assured Parliament that peace would soon return to Manipur.

“Then why has President’s Rule been imposed? The Home Minister must take moral responsibility,” Gogoi stated.

In her reply, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the previous UPA government, blaming them for Manipur’s historical instability.

She pointed out that when Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Manipur in 2023, no UPA minister had visited the state during past crises.

“In 1993, when violence between Nagas and Kukis claimed over 750 lives, did the then-Prime Minister visit Manipur? The same happened under the I.K. Gujral government in 1997-98,” she remarked.

Sitharaman also cited the 2011 economic blockade in Manipur under Congress rule, when LPG cylinders reportedly cost Rs 2,000 due to supply disruptions.

“With such a history of neglect, the Congress should reconsider before questioning who is visiting and who is not,” she added.

As the debate concluded, tensions in Parliament underscored the deepening political divide over Manipur, with the opposition pressing for accountability and the government shifting blame to past administrations.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the people of Manipur continue to await effective intervention and relief from the Narendra Modi led government.