PM Modi in Manipur: Why Churachandpur and Imphal's Kangla Fort take centre stage today

The conflict first erupted on May 3, 2023, after a High Court ruling allowed the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes list, raising fears among Kuki-Zo leaders about losing land and resources in the hills. (AFP file photo)

Churachandpur, the principal town in Manipur’s hill districts, has emerged as the focal point of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit today, marking his first major engagement with the state since the 2023 ethnic clashes.

It should be mentioned here that the hill town, predominantly inhabited by the Kuki-Zo community, has long faced developmental hiccups, further worsened by the violent ethnic clashes between the Meitei majority and the Kuki-Zo tribes, which broke out in May 2023.

The conflict first erupted on May 3, 2023, after a High Court ruling allowed the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes list, raising fears among Kuki-Zo leaders about losing land and resources in the hills.

Charred remains of a house set ablaze allegedly by Kuki militants is pictured at Kangchup village in Imphal West district on November 12, 2024.

Following this, over 6,000 Meiteis fled Churachandpur as violence spiralled beyond containment, while Kuki residents began asserting their identity, to the extent of renaming the town “Lamka” in graffiti across offices and shops.

Amid the unrest, the NH2 highway connecting Imphal to Churachandpur became a flashing symbol of the ethnic divide, lined with burnt houses and patrolled by armed youths.

However, two years since then, in a step toward normalcy, the NH2 was reopened earlier this September, paving the way for PM Modi’s visit on September 13.

At Churachandpur’s Peace Ground, the Prime Minister is set to lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore, including infrastructure, health, and education initiatives. The Kuki-Zo Council has welcomed the visit, calling it a historic occasion, noting that no Prime Minister has visited the region in nearly 40 years.

While Churachandpur represents the conflict’s epicentre, Kangla Fort in Imphal, the state capital, serves as Manipur’s cultural and political heart.

Along the 7-kilometre stretch from the Fort to the airport, the administration has put up hoardings and posters in anticipation of PM Modi’s address to around 15,000 attendees. In Imphal, the Prime Minister will inaugurate projects worth over Rs 1,200 crore, including the Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri, a new IT SEZ, the police headquarters, Manipur Bhawans in Delhi and Kolkata, and the Ima Markets -- unique all-women marketplaces across four districts.

Churachandpur and Kangla Fort together symbolise the dual priorities of the Prime Minister’s visit: addressing the development needs of the hill districts while reaffirming governance, culture, and political stability in the valley.

Over the past two years, ethnic clashes in Manipur have claimed over 250 lives, injured hundreds, and displaced more than 60,000 people, leaving thousands of homes, churches, and temples destroyed.

PM Modi’s visit, with the spotlight on Churachandpur and Kangla Fort, is anticipated to act as a turning point in rebuilding stability, fostering reconciliation, and delivering on long-promised development for all of Manipur.