Churachandpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with several people displaced due to Manipur ethnic violence at Churachandpur's Peace Ground, officials said.

Addressing the gathering, Modi praised the spirit of the people, saying, “The land of Manipur is the land of courage and bravery. I want to salute the passion of the people of Manipur. All of you came here despite the heavy rain, I want to thank you for your love.”

He also recalled his road journey to the venue after heavy rainfall disrupted his helicopter ride.

“Due to heavy rains, my helicopter could not come, so I decided to come via road. The scenes I saw on the road, I thank the Almighty that my helicopter did not work today. The way I saw the youth and elderly people of Manipur carrying Tiranga in their hands, I can never forget this moment in my life.”

Speaking about the Manipur violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that unrest had engulfed a land once known for peace. Urging groups to shun the path of conflict, he appealed to them to embrace peace to secure the future of their children. Modi assured the people that he, along with the central government, stood firmly with them in this difficult time.

After arriving in Churachandpur, Modi listened to the concerns of the families of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and assured them of the Centre's commitment to restore peace and normalcy in the state.

The ethnic violence displaced more than 60,000 people, nearly 40,000 from the Kuki Zo community and around 20,000 Meiteis.

While many of the displaced people have moved outside the state, the majority of them have been living in relief camps in poor living conditions with no privacy and no sources of income.

The government has been trying to uplift the lives of the IDPs in the state with skill development programmes, including candle and incense making, the officials said.

Over 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless after ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023. PTI