Manipur violence: Amit Shah to chair all-party meeting today at 3 pm

The Manipur is witnessing incidents like arson since May 3, the state government has extended the ban on the internet by five more days till June 25 with immediate effect in an effort to prevent further disturbance to peace. The data services also have also been banned in view of the persisting unrest in the state.

Violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list. Ethnic violence first broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The clashes had been preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals – Nagas and Kukis – constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts. More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in Manipur that broke out more than a month ago.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has expressed his inability to attend the all-party meeting which will be chaired by Amit Shah. Pawar expressed his desire to attend the meeting to discuss Manipur violence but due to some important prior commitments, he has designated Narendra Verma, National General Secretary, NCP, and Soran lboyaima Singh, President, Manipur State NCP, to attend the meeting.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has “left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation” while appealing for peace and harmony in the state.

Questioning the timing of the all-party meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 24, to discuss the prevailing situation in Manipur in the wake of ethnic violence and clashes, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said it is being convened at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a State visit to the United States, which shows that the meeting isn’t important to him. Rahul tweeted, “Manipur has been burning for 50 days, but the Prime Minister remained silent. An all-party meeting was called when the Prime Minister himself is not in the country! Clearly, this meeting is not important for the Prime Minister.”

Congress leader KC Venugopal on Thursday also came down heavily on PM Modi over his silence on the situation in Manipur.”For the last 53 days, Manipur is burning. PM Modi has not uttered a single word yet. A delegation from Manipur was here for the last 10 days but the PM was not ready to meet them,” Venugopal claimed.

Earlier on Friday, Manipur CM N Biren Singh also inspected the sites for establishment of pre-fabricated homes for people displaced by ethnic violence and said that a section of those houses will be set up on the campus of a sericulture institute in Bishnupur district. The government is working on the settlement of the affected families till normalcy is restored, Singh said at Kwakta during his first visit to affected areas.

Prominent citizens of Assam has also urged PM Modi to intervene and restore peace in Manipur, expressing their ‘bewilderment’ at his silence over the ongoing violence in the neighbouring state. They also appealed to the people of Manipur to show restraint and not indulge in any kind of violence. “There is an atmosphere of overwhelming fear, despair and uncertainty in Manipur. The state has been reduced to a level of statelessness,” a statement by Axom Nagarik Samaj said.

After Amit Shah’s last visit to the violence hit state, on 10 June, peace committee was formed in Manipur under the Chairpersonship of Governor Anusuiya Uikey. The peace committee came in order to facilitate peace making process among various ethnic groups of the State, including peaceful dialogue and negotiations between conflicting parties/groups. Prior to that on 3 June, Centre had also formed a three-member Commission of Inquiry to probe the recent incidents of violence in Manipur.

(With inputs from agencies)

Updated: 24 Jun 2023, 09:31 AM IST