Jairam Ramesh questions the whereabouts of the photographs post the meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Manipur CM Biren Singh in Delhi.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a private meeting in Delhi on July 28. The two leaders discussed the situation in the north-eastern state following ethnic violence last year, as per reports.

Singh was in the national capital for a special conclave of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief ministers. The Manipur CM’s brief meeting with the Prime Minister took place on the sidelines, as reported by NDTV.

The meeting was specifically arranged to deliberate on the plans and strategies of the Centre and the state to address the ongoing crisis in Manipur. Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh were also in attendance, according to reports.

This meeting occurred amidst Opposition criticism of the BJP regarding the Prime Minister’s perceived silence on Manipur. The issue was raised in Parliament, with opposition leaders chanting slogans about Manipur in the Lok Sabha while PM Modi addressed the house on July 2 during the Motion of Thanks to the President Droupadi Murmu’s joint address in the previous session of Parliament.

Where are the Photographs?

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed curiosity about the absence of photographs from the encounter between the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Manipur. Ramesh mentioned, “Reports have surfaced this morning regarding the private discussion held between the embattled Manipur CM and the appointed PM, with the presence of the self-proclaimed Chanakya and the Defense Minister.”

Typically, during such meetings, photographs are usually shared on X platform, Ramesh mentioned. He questioned the absence of any photos of Shri Narendra Modi or Shri N Biren Singh from the meeting. This led him to speculate whether the meeting actually occurred. Ramesh highlighted that the Prime Minister’s Office had shared a photo of Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu meeting the Prime Minister. On July 28, Ramesh strongly criticized Biren Singh, suggesting that the people of Manipur were curious about whether the Chief Minister had a direct discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the ongoing violence and unrest in the state.