Amit Shah to Visit Manipur in October for Medical College Foundation Ceremony

Shillong, India Aug 26, 2026 ALN: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Manipur in the first week of October, during which he is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the proposed Senapati Medical College in the State, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Wednesday.

The proposed visit was finalized during a meeting between Shah and Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh at the Union Home Minister’s official residence in New Delhi. This meeting underscores the importance of the relationship between the central government and the state government, particularly in the context of ongoing developmental projects in Manipur.

According to the CMO, Shah assured the Chief Minister that the Centre would fulfill the aspirations of the people of Manipur. This assurance is particularly significant given the challenges the state has faced in recent years, including ethnic tensions and demands for greater autonomy and recognition of indigenous rights.

The visit will include the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the new government medical college in Senapati district, a project recently approved in principle by the State Cabinet. The establishment of this medical college is seen as a crucial step in enhancing the healthcare infrastructure in the region, which has long been underserved in terms of medical facilities and educational institutions.

Senapati district is predominantly inhabited by the Naga community, and the establishment of a medical college in this area is expected to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, expand access to medical education, and generate employment opportunities in the region. This is particularly relevant as the state grapples with issues related to healthcare access, which have been exacerbated by the geographic and infrastructural challenges faced by the hilly terrain of Manipur.

Shah’s visit will be his first to Manipur since April 2024, when he addressed an election rally in Imphal. His last major visit to the State was in May-June 2023, shortly after ethnic violence broke out, during which he held extensive consultations with political leaders, civil society groups, and community representatives. These consultations were aimed at addressing the deep-seated issues that led to the violence and finding a pathway toward peace and reconciliation in the state.

The announcement of Shah's visit comes at a politically significant juncture for Manipur, where demands for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before conducting the Census have gathered momentum. The NRC is a critical document that aims to identify legal citizens of India, and its updating has become a contentious issue in various states, particularly in the Northeast, where concerns about illegal immigration and the rights of indigenous populations are prevalent.

Several legislators from the State are currently in New Delhi seeking the Centre’s intervention on the issue, while a delegation representing 14 civil society organizations is also meeting Union Ministers and senior officials to press for citizenship verification ahead of the Census and any subsequent delimitation exercise. The urgency of these meetings reflects the heightened political atmosphere in Manipur, where the demand for a fair and transparent process regarding citizenship has become a rallying point for various groups.

The parallel engagements by elected representatives and civil society groups have elevated the NRC-before-Census demand into a major political issue, with supporters arguing that the identification of genuine Indian citizens should precede population enumeration and constituency delimitation. This demand is rooted in concerns over demographic changes and the potential impact on political representation for indigenous communities.

Against this backdrop, Shah’s visit is expected to draw attention not only for its development agenda but also for the wider political issues currently shaping public discourse in the State. The implications of his visit could be significant, as it may influence the dynamics of the ongoing discussions surrounding the NRC and the upcoming Census, as well as the overall political landscape in Manipur.

More details regarding Shah’s itinerary are expected to be announced closer to the visit. The anticipation surrounding this visit reflects the importance of the central government’s engagement with Manipur, particularly in light of the pressing issues facing the state and the aspirations of its people for better governance and development.