Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticises Modi's Russia visit amid Manipur crisis

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow, contrasting it with Rahul Gandhi's third trip to violence-affected Manipur. Ramesh highlighted that Modi has yet to visit Manipur since ethnic violence erupted there 14 months ago.

Rahul Gandhi arrived in Assam's Silchar today, planning to visit relief camps in both Assam and Manipur. He is also scheduled to meet with the Manipur Governor.

Ramesh accused Modi of neglecting the Manipur crisis, stating, "The non-biological PM has not found the time nor even had the inclination to visit Manipur even for a few hours after the grave crisis erupted on May 3, 2023." He added that Modi hasn't met with Manipur's Chief Minister or other political leaders from the state.

The Congress leader also posed three questions to Modi regarding India-Russia relations: He questioned whether India-Russia relations have cooled under Modi's leadership compared to previous Congress governments; Ramesh highlighted the trade imbalance between India and Russia, asking if Modi plans to address this issue during his talks with President Putin; he inquired about Modi's plans to assist Indian nationals who have joined the Russian Army, some of whom have been casualties in the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, PM Modi, addressing the Rajya Sabha last week, stated that the government is working to normalise the situation in Manipur, citing over 11,000 FIRs registered and more than 500 arrests made.