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Union Home Minister Amit Shah met a cross-section of Kuki and Meitei leaders, civil society groups, and top security officers on...
Digital Desk: As part of his effort to bring enduring peace to the troubled state of Manipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met a cross-section of Kuki and Meitei leaders, civil society groups, and top security officers on Tuesday to seek a solution to the state's recent series of ethnic conflicts.
Shah also paid a visit to Churachandpur on Tuesday, the site of some of the worst rioting in the recent ethnic violence in Manipur, for talks with Kuki leaders.
He also held a series of discussions with various Meitei groups, women, and other prominent personalities in Imphal earlier in the day before travelling to the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district.
Later that night, he held an all-party meeting as well as a meeting with the senior brass of the central police forces, Manipur police, and the army and ask them to ensure peace.
In Imphal, Shah met with stakeholders on Tuesday, beginning with a breakfast meeting with a group of women leaders at Raj Bhavan as part of his effort to restore peace to the violence-torn state.
"Held a meeting with a group of women leaders (Meira Paibi) in Manipur. Reiterated the significance of the role of women in the society of Manipur. Together, we are committed to ensuring peace and prosperity in the state," Shah tweeted.
According to a home ministry spokesperson, Shah met with key persons in Imphal in the morning who assured him of their commitment to peace and stated that they would work to restore peace in the state.
After that, he met with many CSO groups and important Meitei community members at the Secretariat before departing for Churachandpur.
"Had a fruitful discussion today in Imphal with members of various civil society organizations. They affirmed their commitment to peace and gave their word that we would all work together to help Manipur go back to normal," he continued.
Following their meeting with Shah, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) coordinator Jeetendra Ningomba stated that they asked the Union Home Minister to take suitable actions to defend the state's territorial and administrative integrity.
He stated that Shah had told the delegation that there would be no compromise on Manipur's geographical integrity.
Another group of award-winning international and national sportspersons from Manipur, including Anita Chanu and N Kunjrani Devi, attempted to meet him on Tuesday and later said at a press conference that if the state's territorial integrity is jeopardised, they will return the prizes given to them by the government.
Shah, who was accompanied by the IB chief and the Home Secretary, held three rounds of meetings with diverse groups including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), and other civil society organizations. He also spoke with five BJP MLAs from Kuki.
The Home Minister asked the Kuki society to keep the peace and promised to send in more security personnel if necessary to safeguard the safety of ordinary citizens.
"He (Shah) told us that the CBI will be tasked with conducting an extensive investigation to find out the causes behind this prolonged clash. In addition, a judicial inquiry will be announced," said ITLF secretary Muan Tombing.
Tombing stated that his group "demanded separation from Manipur" and sought "President's Rule" in the state.
After returning from Churachandpur, Shah convened an all-party conference in Imphal later that evening.
The Home Minister also met with senior officials from the Manipur Police, national police forces, and the Indian Army to discuss the security situation. "Peace and prosperity in Manipur are our top priorities," he stated, ordering officials to rigorously enforce any acts that disrupt the peace.
Manipur has been gripped by ethnic violence for about a month, with a dramatic uptick in confrontations and firing between militants and security forces on Sunday, following a relative respite for over a fortnight.
The death toll from conflicts has risen to 80, according to officials.
The Home Minister was accompanied by the Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Kumar Deka when he flew into Imphal on Monday night.
Earlier in the day, the government stated that the next of kin of those killed in the ethnic strife will receive Rs 10 lakh in compensation, as well as a job for a family member. According to an official release, the compensation will be shared equally by the Centre and the state.
On Monday night, the decision was made during a meeting between the Union Home Minister and Biren Singh in the presence of some members of the Council of Ministers.
During the conference, it was also decided that essential goods such as petrol, LPG, rice, and other foodgrains would be made available in sufficient numbers in order to keep rising costs at bay.
On Wednesday, Shah will visit Moreh and Kangpokpi. He will meet with delegations from various local groups in Moreh before moving on to Kangpokpi to meet with civil society organisations.
Meanwhile, in Pune, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan stated that issues in Manipur have not gone away, but expressed hope that things will calm down in due course, stressing that the current scenario in the North Eastern state is not related to insurgency.
"We are assisting the state government with the problem," he added.
"I'd like to say that the Army and the Assam Rifles did an excellent job there, and they have saved many lives. Hopefully, this will be resolved, and the local administration, with the assistance of the CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces), will be able to carry out its duties," the CDS said.
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