Bhagwat to visit Manipur on 18 November amid continuing ethnic tensions

• RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will visit Manipur from 18 to 20 November to review organisational work and social initiatives.

• This will be his second visit since ethnic violence erupted between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023.

• Discussions will cover centenary-related programmes, the ‘Panch Parivartan’ initiative and future activities in the state.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will begin a three-day visit to Manipur on 18 November, returning to the state as it continues to grapple with the consequences of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

The RSS said on Saturday that the 18–20 November tour would focus on reviewing its organisational programmes and social initiatives. It will be Bhagwat’s second visit since violence broke out on 3 May 2023, following a trip in November last year.

Although framed as an organisational visit, the tour will draw attention to the Sangh’s outreach in a state where prolonged ethnic divisions have complicated efforts to restore peace and rebuild trust.

Bhagwat is scheduled to meet RSS functionaries and volunteers to assess ongoing work and discuss the expansion of service activities across Manipur.

The review will include programmes associated with the organisation’s centenary celebrations and its ‘Panch Parivartan’ initiative, which seeks social transformation across five areas. Discussions will also cover activities planned under the initiative.

According to the RSS, Bhagwat will encourage volunteers to strengthen their work in different parts of the state. The visit’s stated agenda centres on organisational and service programmes.

His previous tour, from 20 to 22 November 2025, included closed-door meetings with RSS workers and interactions with representatives from both the valley and hill regions.

Those engagements involved tribal representatives, civil society organisations, entrepreneurs, prominent citizens and youth leaders. That visit was his first to Manipur after the outbreak of ethnic violence.

Bhagwat had also visited the state in 2022.

The forthcoming tour will provide a further indication of the Sangh’s organisational priorities and approach to social outreach in Manipur as it reviews its work and prepares future programmes.

With IANS inputs