India News

Amit Shah to visit Manipur in October amid rising NRC-census push

Amit Shah is expected to visit Manipur in October to launch development projects, including a medical college in Senapati, amid an intensified NRC-before-Census demand

Published

2 weeks ago

August 26, 2026

APNLive Desk

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit Manipur in the first week of October, with the proposed visit coming amid an intensified political and civil-society campaign for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census and delimitation exercises.

According to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Shah will lay the foundation stone for a medical college in Senapati district and oversee other development projects during his visit.

The proposed visit was discussed during Shah’s meeting with Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh in Delhi on Wednesday. The Chief Minister’s Secretariat said the Home Minister also assured that the Centre would fulfil the wishes of the people of Manipur.

Shah’s first Manipur visit since April 2024

The October visit will be Shah’s first trip to Manipur since April 15, 2024, when he addressed an election rally in Imphal.

His previous extended visit came from May 29 to June 1, 2023, shortly after ethnic violence broke out in the state. During that four-day visit, Shah met representatives of different communities, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

At least 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since May 2023 due to ethnic violence in Manipur’s hill districts.

Following continued clashes and the resignation of then Chief Minister N Biren Singh, President’s Rule was imposed in the state on February 13, 2025. It was lifted on February 4, nearly a year later, after which Yumnam Khemchand Singh became Chief Minister.

Medical college planned in Senapati

The Manipur cabinet recently decided to establish a medical college in Senapati district, which is predominantly inhabited by the Naga community.

The proposed Senapati Medical College is expected to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the hill district while expanding access to medical education and creating employment opportunities.

During his proposed October visit, Shah is expected to lay the foundation stone for the project.

NRC-before-Census demand gains momentum

Shah’s proposed visit comes as the demand for updating the NRC before the Census and delimitation exercises gains political momentum in Manipur.

Those supporting the demand argue that identification of genuine Indian citizens should take place before the Census and subsequent delimitation process.

The issue has also reached New Delhi, with a group of Manipur legislators travelling to the national capital to raise the demand with Central leaders. The legislators have been meeting Union ministers and seeking the Centre’s intervention.

Separately, a delegation representing 14 civil society organisations from Manipur is also in Delhi for discussions with Union ministers and Central officials.

Led by 14-CSO Convenor Shanta Nahakpam, the delegation represents different sections and communities of the state and has been seeking citizenship identification before the Census and delimitation exercises.

The parallel efforts by legislators and civil society groups underline the political significance of the NRC issue in Manipur.

At the same time, the sequencing of the NRC, Census and delimitation remains a sensitive matter, with differing views among communities in the state. Any citizenship-identification exercise would therefore involve questions around legality, transparency and representation.

Focus on road connectivity and return to normalcy

The proposed visit also comes as the state government highlights improvements in road connectivity as signs of a gradual return to normalcy.

The Chief Minister’s Secretariat said Shah praised the state government for restoring bus services and ensuring free movement along National Highway-2.

Improved road transport is particularly significant for residents who have faced disrupted movement and higher travel costs, as affordable bus services provide an alternative to air travel.

October visit carries wider significance

Shah’s proposed return to Manipur comes at a time when the state is attempting to move from prolonged disruption towards greater stability.

While the Centre and state government are highlighting development work and improved connectivity, the NRC-before-Census demand has emerged as a major political and civil-society issue.

The October visit could therefore provide an opportunity for direct engagement with concerns being raised by the state’s elected representatives and civil society groups.

For Manipur, the larger challenge remains restoring confidence and ensuring that development, political dialogue and engagement with different communities move together.

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3 dead, several trapped after six-storey building collapses in Delhi, rescue operations continue

Three people died and two were critically injured after a six-storey PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan. Several others are feared trapped.

Published

12 mins ago

September 6, 2026

APNLive Desk

Three people have died and two others are critically injured after a six-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several more people are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue at the site.

Nine people have been rescued so far, while authorities are searching for others who may still be trapped. The building, which was being used as a 75-bed paying guest accommodation, collapsed at around 1:30 pm, according to officials.

Building was being used as a PG accommodation

According to police, the building was around 40 to 50 years old and consisted of a basement and five upper floors. It was being used as a paying guest accommodation, with repair work reportedly underway in the basement when the collapse occurred.

The building was located in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, an area with a large student population.

An eyewitness said at least 50 students were believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. A student at the scene also reported hearing cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Rescue operation underway

Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been deployed for the rescue operation.

At least 12 fire tenders have been sent to the spot. An excavator has also been deployed, while additional machinery is being brought in to remove concrete slabs and girders from the debris.

Locals were also seen helping with the initial search before rescue teams and machinery reached the site.

The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said. She added that rescue work was being carried out on a war footing and that authorities were coordinating efforts to assist those affected.

Government agencies coordinate rescue efforts

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said concerned agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, had been directed to work together to ensure swift rescue operations.

Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who was at the site, said some students were still believed to be trapped and that some were reportedly making calls from inside the collapsed structure.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed alleged corruption for the incident and raised questions about building safety and inspections. His comments were political allegations and no official cause for the collapse has been established in the report.

India News

PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

9 hours ago

September 6, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

23 hours ago

September 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.