Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India] September 13 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Manipur. He said it was a good step, especially after the delay following the 2023 violence.

Abdullah added, 'Better late than never,' and expressed hope that the visit would help restore peace and reduce tensions between the tribal communities in the state.

Speaking to the reporters, Omar Abdullah said, 'It's a good thing. There has been a lot of commentary about the fact that PM Modi has avoided travelling to that part of the country, particularly after the violence that broke out in 2023. As we say, better late than never, and it's a good thing that he is visiting. We hope that peace and calm are restored and differences between the two tribal communities are reduced to the point where people are able to live their lives normally.'

This is PM Modi's first visit after an ethnic conflict erupted in the State in May 2023, and the discord between the Meitei and Kuki communities persisted for a couple of years. The conflict has inflicted lasting damage on Manipur, hindering its economy, disrupting its social cohesion, and destabilising its political landscape.

During his visit to Manipur on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to various ethnic groups in Manipur to shun violence and work towards restoring peace in the State. He stated that a new dawn of 'hope and confidence' is emerging in the northeastern State

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur in Manipur.

Ahead of the upcoming India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025, Omar Abdullah said there is no problem with India playing Pakistan in multilateral tournaments like the Asia Cup.

However, he stressed that concerns remain due to past incidents, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.

'Our problem has always been with bilateral cricket matches, and I don't think we have ever had a problem with the multilateral part of large tournaments... You can't wish away what happens. My part of the country has been the direct victim... We all saw what happened in Pahalgam. These are real concerns that we have,' Abdullah said. (ANI)