'Ads of greatness won't be enough': Priyanka slams PM over Manipur violence

Priyanka Gandhi said that the Narendra Modi-led government must take concrete steps to bring stability in Manipur

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over violence in Manipur, saying advertisements of greatness won't be enough to become great. This comes as four villagers were gunned down on Monday in the state's Thoubal district.

She further said that neither PM Modi visited Manipur nor met a delegation of leaders from the state.

"Four people were killed in Manipur, many people were injured, there is curfew in many districts. The people of Manipur have been facing murder, violence and destruction for eight months. When will this trend stop?" she asked on X (formerly Twitter).

"Neither he [PM Modi] went to Manipur, nor talked about Manipur, nor replied in Parliament, nor took any action. Is this the leadership that Manipur needs, or is the power of advertisements enough to become great!" she added.

Priyanka Gandhi added that the government must take concrete steps to bring stability in Manipur.

Manipur violence

Around 200 people have been killed in Manipur since May when violence erupted in the state between two ethnic groups.

A high court order had directed the state government to consider including non-tribal Meitei communities in the ST list. On May 3, a Tribal Solidarity March was organised against the demand by the Meitei community to get ST status, triggering the violence.

The Opposition has been demanding the removal of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for not being able to control violence.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed two separate charge sheets against five accused in a case linked to two missing Manipuri students. Photos showing their bodies had surfaced on September 25 last year.

Last year, the CBI said that on July 6, 2023, the victim boy went to the tuition class of the girl and, after picking her up on his bike, proceeded towards Bishnupur side. They were intercepted by a group of people and held captive by the five charge-sheeted accused.

The CBI, however, hasn't found their bodies.