Imphal/New Delhi: In fresh violence in Manipur, a mob allegedly torched the residence of Union Minister of State for External Affairs RK Ranjan Singh at Kongba in Imphal late Thursday night. The incident was confirmed the Manipur Government.
The incident comes after two houses were set on fire by a mob on Thursday afternoon at the New Checkon area in Imphal. Upon receiving information, Ranjan, who was in Ernakulam in Kerala to participate in different programs, returned to Manipur.
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Speaking to reporters in Kerala, Ranjan Singh said that the Centre is trying to restore peace in the northeastern state and it was unfortunate that his house was burnt. "The violence in Manipur is due to a misunderstanding and all efforts are being made to avoid the conflict. The conflict between the two factions led to the violence," he added.
According to Ranjan Singh, the Centre has been making efforts for peace from the very beginning. "The government will continue to make all efforts to calm the situation," he said, adding that the problem in his home state was not a "religious one".
Meanwhile, even as ethnic violence continues unabated in Manipur, leaders from 10-opposition parties from the state have landed in New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We want intervention of PM Narendra Modi to stop the ongoing violence. So, we leaders from 10 opposition parties of the state came to Delhi," Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Meghachandra Singh told ETV Bharat.
"On June 10, we sent a letter to the Prime Minister Office seeking an appointment. But till date we have not received any timing. So many many have died, several injured, but the PM is hardly bothered about the situation," added Singh.
Two representatives from each party including Congress, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Janata Dal (United), Aam Aadmi Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), All India Forward Block (AIFB), Revolutionary Socialist Party, CPM and CPI have come to Delhi to meet Modi.
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"We are also planning to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over the present situation in the state," he said. The Manipur Congress chief claimed that Kuki militants from neighbouring Myanmar are entering into the state and conducting the mayhem."The Centre should give total power to the Army to tackle the present scenario. The present state government has not been able to control the situation," Singh said. The members of the 10 opposition parties will sit for a protest at the Jantar Mantar on Saturday to press for their demands.
Further more, the Home Ministry rushed CRPF DG SL Thaosen to Manipur to assess the overall situation and better coordination of central forces.
Meanwhile, Ratan Thiyam, a renowned theatre personality from Manipur has refused to be a part of the 51-member Peace Committe citing prior engagements. Thiyam opined that the committee can do hardly anything at this point Earlier, Kuki Inpi Manipur president Ajang Khongsai, retired Indian Defence Accounts Service officer J Lhungdim backed out of the committee.
Earlier on Tuesday night, nine persons, including women, were killed and 10 others injured after some miscreants opened fire inside a church in East Imphal in the Khamenlok area. Over 100 people have been killed in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur that broke out a month ago. The Manipur government has imposed curfew in as many as eleven districts and banned internet in a bid to combat the spread of rumours.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Manipur and interacted with members of various communities. The Centre has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of those killed in the violence in the strife-torn state.
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