In the wake of fresh incidents of violence in Manipur, Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Monday evening to review the security situation in the state roiled by ethnic clashes for over a year now. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, HM Shah stressed the need for strategic deployment of central forces to restore peace and tranquility in the state. Significantly, Manipur CM N. Biren Singh was not present at the meeting, drawing criticisms from several leaders. Nonetheless, Manipur was represented by Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi and Adviser to the State Kuldiep Singh.
HM Shah also conducted a holistic review of the security situation in Manipur, directing agencies to ensure that no further incidents of violence must take place in the state. Shah also underscored that the Home Ministry will initiate talks with both ethnic groups, Kukis and Meiteis in order to bridge the gap between the two ethnic groups. It must be noted here that the action by the Central government came days after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak, Mohan Bhagwat flagged government’s inability to curb the violence in the region, which has been up since May last year. Byte 1 Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Sarsanghchalak (Full byte)
A statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs mentioned that the Home Minister stressed upon deployment of the central forces in the state to restore peace and tranquillity, adding that the forces will be increased if the need arises. HM Shah further directed that strict action must be taken as per law against the perpetrators of violence.
In the review meeting, attended by top security and administration officials, senior officials from Manipur gave the Home Minister a presentation on the security situation in the state and the steps taken by them to maintain peace. In some parts of Manipur where violence had spread to once peaceful regions, authorities boosted the deployment of police and security forces and kept a vigilant eye on unruly mobs and militants.
Shah has reportedly told officials to identify vulnerable areas and provide adequate security in those particular areas. In his directives to the Chief Secretary of Manipur, HM Shah called for ensuring adequate health and education facilities for displaced people and their rehabilitation, stressing the need to extend immediate and effective measures to support these communities.
For the unversed, ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year after a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts of the state to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Since then, over 220 people belonging to both the Kuki and Meitei communities and security personnel have been killed in the continuing violence. Additionally, Manipur CM’s convoy was ambushed by suspected militants in Kangpokpi district, leaving one injured, when he was on his way to the violence-hit Jiribam district.
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