Imphal (Manipur): Union Home Minister Amit Shah with an intention of bringing together the divided communities, Shah has scheduled a series of meetings with political and civil society leaders from both the Meitei and Kuki communities. Furthermore, he plans to visit Churachandpur, the site of some of the worst rioting that occurred earlier this month, on Tuesday.
Arriving in Imphal last night, Amit Shah who was accompanied by the Home Secretary immediatley conducted a meeting with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, as well as some of his cabinet colleagues, intelligence officials, and security personnel. The purpose of the meeting was to assess the current situation and devise appropriate measures. According to sources, relief measures and steps to increase supplies were decided upon, aiming to stabilize the prices of essential commodities that have significantly risen due to the ongoing ethnic violence.
In an effort to promote dialogue and understanding, Shah is planning to engage in discussions with Kuki leaders and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), many of whom had previously left for neighboring states. The Kuki community has been demanding a separate administration for the districts they inhabit. In the absence of such an arrangement, they have also requested the imposition of President's rule in the state.
Manipur has been plagued by ethnic conflicts for nearly a month, and tensions escalated with a sudden surge in clashes and gunfire between militants and security forces on Sunday, breaking a relative lull that had persisted for several weeks. Officials have reported that the death toll from clashes since the outbreak of ethnic rioting on May 3 has now risen to 80.
To restore peace and stability, the army and paramilitary forces have initiated combing operations in the Imphal valley and surrounding districts. The primary objective of these operations is to seize illegal caches of arms, according to an official statement. The initial spark of the ethnic clashes in Manipur occurred after a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organized in the hill districts on May 3, in protest of the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Prior to the eruption of violence, tensions had already been brewing due to the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land. These evictions had triggered a series of smaller protests and demonstrations. The Meitei community, which accounts for approximately 53 percent of Manipur's population and primarily resides in the Imphal Valley, coexists with the Nagas and Kukis, who constitute around 40 percent of the population and predominantly inhabit the hill districts.
The restoration of peace and order in Manipur has necessitated the deployment of a significant number of security personnel. Approximately 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, totaling over 10,000 personnel, in addition to forces from other paramilitary organizations, have been deployed to bring back normalcy to the troubled northeastern state.
The visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his active involvement in dialogue with the various communities in Manipur is a testament to the government's commitment to resolving the ethnic conflicts and restoring harmony in the region. The relief measures and efforts to stabilize commodity prices demonstrate a comprehensive approach aimed at addressing the immediate concerns of the affected population.
