The Opposition Congress on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of abdicating his responsibilities by “outsourcing” Manipur to Union Home Minister Amit Shah amid the ethnic violence in the state.

Party leader Jairam Ramesh also reiterated the Congress’ demand that the prime minister visit the state in light of the violence. “This is the very least he can do to show his concern if he has any,” Ramesh said in a social media post.

The Rajya Sabha MP’s statement came after the prime minister, earlier in the day, greeted the residents of Manipur on their Statehood Day.

Manipur attained statehood on January 21, 1972, under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act.

“We are incredibly proud of the role played by the people of Manipur towards India’s development,” the prime minister said. “My best wishes for the progress of Manipur.”

Responding to this, Ramesh claimed that Modi had “stubbornly refused to visit Manipur even briefly” since the ethnic clashes broke out between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmars communities in May 2023.

At least 258 persons have been killed and more than 59,000 persons displaced in the clashes. There was an uptick in violence in the state in November.

Ramesh said that the prime minister had travelled all over the world but “not found the time nor the inclination to reach out to the people of the state in Imphal and other places”. Modi had “stubbornly refused” to meet MLAs of his own Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, he added.

“He has not had a one-on-one meeting with the CM [Chief Minister N Biren Singh], nor has he met with MPs, political leaders, and civil society organisations of the state,” the Rajya Sabha MP claimed. “His Statehood Day greetings are hollow and reflect his hypocrisy – which knows no limits.”

The Congress has repeatedly questioned why Modi has not visited the state since the violence began in 2023. The party has also asked why he has been silent on the matter.