ILP biggest gift by Prime Minister to Manipur: Shah at Imphal rally

Giving credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has "Northeast in his heart", for bringing a flood of development in the region, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday stated that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) has been the biggest gift by the Prime Minister to the people of Manipur.

Imphal (Manipur): Giving credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has "Northeast in his heart", for bringing a flood of development in the region, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday stated that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) has been the biggest gift by the Prime Minister to the people of Manipur.

"Modiji realised that Manipur did not have the Inner Line Permit when other neighbouring states had it, which was an injustice to the indigenous people, and he found a way. It was a matter of great satisfaction for us when Manipur got it (ILP) on December 11, 2019. The ILP has been the biggest gift by the Prime Minister to the people of Manipur who got it even without asking for it," he said while speaking at a rally in Imphal.

Union Home Minister Shah added that earlier "Northeast was known for separatism and violence but in the last six years, almost all armed groups laid down arms one after the other".

"Violence has subsided in Manipur. I hope that the remainder of the armed groups will shun violence and join the mainstream," he said.

Shah is on a three-day visit to the Northeast since Saturday, during which several development projects were inaugurated in Imphal on Sunday.

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After the inauguration, Shah said earlier Manipur used to face a shortage of essentials due to regular blockades. "But in the last three years, we have not seen any bandh... I want to felicitate Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh as he has given a new identity to the state."

The BJP formed a government in Manipur for the first time in 2017, having formed a coalition with the National People's Party, Naga People's Front and the Lok Janshakti Party, with Singh sworn as the Chief Minister on March 15.

The BJP leader also lambasted the Congress. "For a long time, the Congress-ruled the Northeast but did nothing; they didn't talk to extremist groups. People were dying and development was hindered. In the name of development, they only performed bhumi pujan but we inaugurated those projects."

(ANI)