The Manipur Congress on Friday sharply criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s visit to the state, saying it sends the wrong message at a time when Manipur continues to face “unprecedented violence, displacement, social division and administrative collapse,” and asserted that “Manipur needs healing, not polarisation.”
Responding to Bhagwat’s three-day tour, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Keisham Meghachandra Singh said any visit that “prioritises strengthening organisational growth” over addressing the suffering of the people sends the wrong signal at a time when Manipur is still reeling from “unprecedented violence, displacement, social division, and administrative collapse.”
In its statement, the MPCC said people in Manipur expected the Central Government to present a concrete plan for peace and the restoration of normalcy, not a visit aimed at strengthening ideological organisations.
“Instead of addressing the humanitarian crisis and the breakdown of governance, the visit appears focused primarily on strengthening RSS organisational activities,” it noted.
The party asserted that Manipur needs peace, not political expansionism, emphasising that thousands remain displaced and communities fractured. Rehabilitation, relief, and rebuilding should be the priority, it said.
The MPCC argued that RSS involvement will not resolve the crisis, which requires a government-driven political solution, administrative accountability, and urgent confidence-building measures. “Strengthening ideological organisations will not bring peace,” the statement said.
Calling on the Centre to act responsibly, the Congress said the government must immediately present a clear peace roadmap, establish a unified command structure, create a plan for the safe return of displaced families, and ensure accountability for administrative failures.
Reaffirming its stance, the party said it stands firmly with the people of Manipur. “The focus must remain on restoration of normalcy, protection of all communities, and justice for victims. Political or ideological visits cannot substitute real governance,” it said.
The MPCC noted that Manipur needs healing, not polarisation, warning that any visit prioritising organisational expansion over people’s suffering sends a “wrong message at this critical time.”
Bhagwat arrived in Imphal on Thursday, his first visit since ethnic clashes erupted in May 2023, claiming more than 260 lives.
During his stay, he is expected to hold a series of closed-door meetings with RSS workers, entrepreneurs, tribal leaders from the hills, youth groups and civil society members to review the organisation’s functioning in the state.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned amid intense criticism of his government’s handling of the ethnic violence.
