Why is Manipur not on his itinerary? Congress ahead of Amit Shah's Assam-Mizoram visit

Ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah's three-day visit to Assam and Mizoram, the Congress questioned the absence of Manipur on the itinerary.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Assam chief minister has just announced that the Union home minister will be making a three-day visit to Assam and Mizoram, beginning March 14. But why is Manipur not on his itinerary?"

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that Shah would arrive in Jorhat late on March 14 for a three-day visit to Assam and Mizoram.

Shortly after arriving in Jorhat, the home minister will travel to Dergaon in Golaghat district, where he will spend the night at the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy, Sarma said while briefing reporters.

The Congress has been attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well for not visiting Manipur, besides slamming the Centre for its handling of the situation in the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state.

The party had on Tuesday taken a swipe at Modi over his Mauritius trip, saying it was "frequent-flyer time" even as the people of Manipur continued to wait for his visit.

More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between the Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. (With PTI inputs)