Why is PM visiting Assam but ‘avoiding’ Manipur, asks TMC

KOLKATA: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visiting Assam, Trinamool Congress (TMC) questioned why he did not visit Manipur instead where several lives were lost due to the unrest.

Recently, the PM visited Assam but made no remarks concerning the Manipur situation. TMC alleged that Modi’s visit was solely political and it was planned for election purposes. It alleged that the main purpose of the visit was to solidify BJP’s grip on the state’s 14 Lok Sabha seats for the Lok Sabha elections.

TMC wrote on X: “Why is PM@narendramodi going to Assam? -Desperate attempt to improve BJP’s grip on the state’s 14 Lok Sabha seats for the upcoming polls. Why isn’t Modi ji going to Manipur? -Doesn’t care about the suffering & death of people in the region Elections seem more important than people! Classic selfish PM!”

Earlier, the repeatedly questioned the alleged silence of the Prime Minister on the Manipur violence.

TMC chairperson and chief minister Mamata Banerjee had criticised PM Narendra Modi for not speaking out about the incident in Manipur where two women were allegedly paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob of men. She had urged the non-BJP chief ministers to form a common platform and visit Manipur to show solidarity with the people who had been subjected to atrocities. She remarked that the BJP’s ‘Beti Bachao’ scheme has now turned into ‘Beti Jalao’.

TMC also referred to a news report while making the remarks. The report pointed out that earlier too during the Assembly polls in Mizoram, PM Modi visited the state but avoided Manipur which was just next door. It was also pointed out that unlike Assam, Manipur has only two Lok Sabha seats, one in the tribal areas and the other comprises the Meitei-dominated valley districts.