Amit Shah assures Manipur CM of Centre's support, to visit in October
Synopsis
Home Minister Amit Shah's meeting with Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh on 26 August signals a renewed federal push on the conflict-hit state — with a concrete October visit planned, a new medical college foundation stone on the agenda, and the just-resumed Imphal–Dimapur bus service held up as evidence of progress after more than three years of ethnic strife.
Key Takeaways
Home Minister Amit Shah met Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh in New Delhi on 26 August , assuring the Centre's full support.
Shah is scheduled to visit Manipur in the first week of October to lay the foundation stone of the Senapati Medical College .
The inter-state Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati bus service resumed on 21 August after a gap of over three years .
Services had been suspended since the outbreak of ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on 3 May 2023 .
Shah lauded the state government for restoring free movement along National Highway-2 .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, 26 August assured Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh that the Central government would fulfil the aspirations of the people of Manipur, according to officials from the Chief Minister's Office. The meeting took place at Shah's official residence in New Delhi, where the Chief Minister called on the Home Minister in the afternoon.
Key Assurances from the Meeting
A senior official of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Imphal said Shah gave a patient hearing to all issues raised by Khemchand Singh. 'Shah gave a patient hearing to all the issues relating to the state as raised by Khemchand Singh. The Union Home Minister then informed the Manipur Chief Minister that the Central government would fulfil the aspirations of the people of Manipur,' the official said. Shah also promised the Chief Minister full support from the Centre.
Shah to Visit Manipur in October, Lay Foundation of Senapati Medical College
In a significant commitment, Shah is scheduled to visit Manipur in the first week of October. During the visit, he is expected to lay the foundation stone of the new Senapati Medical College in Senapati district — a region predominantly inhabited by Naga tribal communities — and review various developmental projects across the state. The Chief Minister confirmed that Shah had agreed to lay the foundation stone of the proposed medical college.
Highway Resumption Lauded as Milestone
Shah also commended the Manipur state government for successfully resuming the inter-state Imphal–Dimapur (Nagaland)–Guwahati (Assam) bus service and restoring free movement of people and vehicles along National Highway-2 (NH-2). The passenger bus services had remained suspended for more than three years following the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribal communities on 3 May 2023. Services were restored on 21 August, marking a notable step toward normalcy in the conflict-affected state.
Background: Manipur's Lifeline Highways
The Imphal–Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) and the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati National Highway (NH-2) are the two critical road arteries connecting Manipur with the rest of the country. Their disruption had severely impacted the supply of essential goods and the movement of civilians. Earlier, during Chief Minister Khemchand Singh's visit to Kangpokpi district on 8 August, he — along with Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and local MLA Haokholet Kipgen — announced the reopening of the national highways for all communities. The Centre's renewed engagement signals a push to consolidate these gains ahead of Shah's October visit.
Point of View
And a high-profile foundation-stone ceremony there is a calibrated signal to tribal stakeholders who have felt peripheral to the Meitei-Kuki-Zo conflict narrative. The resumption of the Imphal–Dimapur bus service after three-plus years is a genuine operational milestone, but the deeper ethnic fault lines that caused the disruption remain unresolved. Whether Shah's visit translates into a credible peace framework or remains a developmental optics exercise will be the real measure of this engagement.
NationPress
26 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Home Minister Amit Shah assure Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh?
Shah assured Khemchand Singh that the Central government would fulfil the aspirations of the people of Manipur and extended full support to the state government. The assurance was given during a meeting at Shah's official residence in New Delhi on 26 August.
When is Amit Shah visiting Manipur and what will he do there?
Shah is scheduled to visit Manipur in the first week of October. During the visit, he is expected to lay the foundation stone of the new Senapati Medical College in Senapati district and review various developmental projects in the state.
Why was the Imphal–Dimapur bus service suspended?
The inter-state passenger bus service was suspended following the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribal communities in Manipur on 3 May 2023. It remained disrupted for more than three years before resuming on 21 August.
What is the significance of the Senapati Medical College?
Senapati district is predominantly inhabited by Naga tribal communities. The proposed medical college is seen as a key development commitment to tribal populations in the region, and Shah's agreement to lay its foundation stone is being viewed as a signal of federal attention to Naga stakeholders.
Which highways are critical to Manipur's connectivity?
National Highway-2 (Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati) and National Highway-37 (Imphal–Jiribam) are the two primary road lifelines connecting Manipur to the rest of India. Both were severely disrupted during the ethnic conflict that began in May 2023.
