Guwahati: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ignoring the death of theatre legend Ratan Thiyam from Manipur, criticizing him for not offering condolences, not even via a social media post.
Thiyam, a revered figure in Indian theatre and a recipient of the Padma Shri and Sahitya Natak Akademi award, passed away in Manipur’s Imphal on July 23 at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness.
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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Ramesh expressed disappointment over the Prime Minister’s silence. He wrote, “Ratan Thiyam, one of India’s greatest cultural personalities whose contributions have been recognised globally, has just passed away in Imphal. All of Manipur has saluted him. Sadly, the PM does not find it appropriate to extend his condolences even through a post on X. This is not only another instance of his insensitivity but also an insult to the people of Manipur.”
Tributes poured in from across Manipur and the rest of the country as Manipur Governor A.K. Bhalla acknowledged Thiyam’s immense legacy, stating that people will always remember his invaluable contribution to Manipuri theatre and culture. The Manipur government declared July 24 a day of mourning, and thousands attended his funeral in Imphal West district.
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Despite being active on X on July 23, posting tributes to Lokmanya Tilak and Chandra Shekhar Azad before leaving for official visits to the UK and Maldives, Prime Minister Modi made no mention of Thiyam’s passing.
Ramesh also reignited criticism of Modi’s prolonged absence from Manipur since ethnic violence broke out on May 3, 2023, between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The violence has claimed over 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people.
“For over 26 months, the Prime Minister has neither visited Manipur nor engaged with its political leaders or civil society groups,” Ramesh said, pointing to what he described as Modi’s persistent indifference to the state’s suffering.
Thiyam, widely respected not just for his artistic innovation but also for his strong political stance, had returned his Padma Shri in 2001 to protest the Centre’s unilateral decision to extend the ceasefire with the NSCN (IM) without consulting Manipur’s stakeholders. In 2023, he also declined to join the Union home ministry’s peace committee on Manipur, calling instead for “strong political will” from the Centre to resolve the ongoing crisis.
Ramesh remembered Thiyam as “bold, fearless, and deeply rooted in liberal, pluralistic traditions.”