Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday made an appeal to the Kuki and Meitei communities in Manipur to engage in sincere dialogue to bridge the trust deficit that has strained their relationship.

Speaking at an election rally in Tipa, a region adjoining Aizwal, capital of Mizoram, Singh noted that the northeast region enjoyed relative peace in the past nine years due to the diminishing or elimination of insurgency.

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He, however, expressed deep concern over the recent incidents in Manipur, saying, “I want to be honest in saying that no political party is responsible for this outbreak of violence. It arose from a complex situation in which both communities began to feel insecure, ultimately leading to the violence. I implore them to come together and work towards resolving the issues. It is crucial to rebuild the trust that has been lost.”

Singh emphasised that violence is not the solution and that genuine, heart-to-heart conversations are the path to resolving the problems. He said communities in Mizoram for their commitment to maintaining the unity and integrity of the nation.

Furthermore, the defense minister highlighted the significant improvements in road and rail connectivity in the Northeast region under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He pointed out that since 2014, over 4,000 kilometers of roads were constructed, with a total expenditure of Rs 58,000 crore allocated for this purpose.

Singh also noted that the northeast’s landscape is set to change further with the completion of an ambitious highway project connecting Thailand. In the last budget, the Central government allocated over Rs 1.34 lakh crore for the region’s infrastructure development.

In addition, he mentioned the ongoing railway development efforts aimed at extending the railway network to the Myanmar border in Mizoram. A 223-kilometer railway line will be constructed from Sairang to the international border.

Singh stressed the paramount importance of Mizoram’s development, as it serves as a gateway for India’s burgeoning political, business, and cultural engagement with East Asian countries. As an example of government initiatives, he mentioned the reclassification of bamboo as grass, a change that allows Mizos to cultivate and market bamboo products on their land.