Congress leader criticises PM Modi's Laos visit, questions absence from conflict-torn Manipur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Laos for the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, particularly regarding his continued absence from the conflict-torn state of Manipur.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to social media platform X to voice his concerns. "The self-anointed non-biological PM is off to Laos," Ramesh wrote, referencing Modi's upcoming participation in the 21st ASEAN-India and 19th East Asia Summit.

Ramesh pointedly questioned Modi's priorities, asking, "Why is Mr Narendra Modi steadfastly refusing to visit the troubled state of Manipur that has been torn apart so tragically since May 2023? His refusal to do so is simply beyond any understanding."

The Congress leader emphasised the importance of India's northeastern states in the country's foreign policy, stating, "India's gateway to ASEAN is our northeast." He argued that the people of Manipur "who have seen so much agony and suffering, surely deserve such a visit" from their Prime Minister.

While in Vientiane, Modi engaged in various cultural activities, including interactions with the Indian diaspora, Buddhist monks, and viewing performances of Lao Ramayana. These events highlighted the shared cultural heritage between India and Laos.

The visit marks a decade of India's Act East Policy, which aims to strengthen economic and strategic ties with Southeast Asian nations. However, Ramesh challenged the government's narrative, tweeting, "He will, of course, talk much of India's Act East policy that supposedly began in 2014 - no matter that India's Look East Policy was in existence for almost two decades prior to that."