IMPHAL: On the second consecutive day of his four-day visit to Manipur, the Union Home Minister on Tuesday chaired an all-party meeting and met prominent personalities and women leaders to restore normalcy in the violence-hit state.
Shah held the all-party meeting at Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh's residence here in Imphal in the presence of his colleague, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, and discussed issues linked to the violence as well as its current situation and a detailed plan to control the violence and restore normalcy in the state. Earlier in the day, the Home Minister held a meeting with prominent personalities in Imphal, and they expressed their commitment to peace and assured that "they would together contribute to paving the way to restore normalcy in Manipur."
The Minister also held a meeting with a group of women leaders (Meira Paibi) in Manipur.
Shah reiterated the significance of the role of women in the society of Manipur and said that "together, we are committed to ensuring peace and prosperity in the state."
He also held a meeting with the delegation of different civil society organisations in Imphal. Shah, who is on a four-day visit to Manipur till June 1, chaired a meeting with the Manipur Chief Minister and ministers of the state, senior leaders, and officials soon after he arrived in Imphal on Monday evening and assessed the situation and chalked out a plan for further steps to restore normalcy in the region.
In that meeting, Union Minister for State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, and Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka, among other officials concerned in the state as well as the centre, took part. The meeting was conducted as fresh violence hit the state a day ago.
During his stay in Manipur until June 1, the Home Minister will hold several rounds of security meetings.
The visit was scheduled as five persons, including a Manipur Police Officer, were killed, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA's house was vandalised, and over 1,000 arms and ammunition were reportedly looted by a mob from the armouries of the Manipur Rifles and IRB on Sunday while combined Central and state security forces gunned down more than 30 suspected Kuki militants in the state in the last 48 hours.
There are also reports of mobs looting all arms and ammunition from the armouries of the 7 Manipur Rifles at Khabeisoi, the 2nd Manipur Rifles at Deulahane, and the 3rd India Reserve Battalion at Thoubal.
As per security forces, fierce encounters are ongoing between suspected Kuki militants and security personnel at the Kadangband and nearby Singda areas in the Imphal West district. Apart from attacking civilians in several foothills of Manipur, the militants also torched over 200 houses in three villages near Sugnu in the Kakching district late Saturday night.
On May 14–15, Home Minister Shah also held a series of meetings with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and representatives of the Meitei and Kuki communities, as well as other stakeholders, to review the measures taken for restoring peace in the state.
Shah also held a meeting with the representatives of the Kuki Community from Manipur and a group of CSOs from Mizoram.
During the meetings, the Home Minister reviewed the measures taken to restore peace in Manipur, which has witnessed violent clashes between two ethnic communities. He then directed strict action against the perpetrators of violence and assured them of the complete support and help of the Central Government in ensuring lasting peace.
Shah had then assured that the government would take all measures to protect various communities in the state, urged discussion with all factions, spread the message of peace, and assured that justice would be done.
Shah had also stressed expediting the process of relief and rehabilitation so as to minimise the suffering of the people. On May 5, the Home Minister also reviewed the situation in Manipur through a video conference meeting with the state Chief Minister and top officials in the state as well as the Centre.
On May 4, Shah also held two meetings via video-conferencing and spoke with the CMs of Manipur and neighbouring states, including Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam, in view of the situation in Manipur.
Manipur faced violence on May 3 during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meitei and Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. The march was organised in protest against the demand for inclusion of the state's Meitei community in the ST category, following an April 19 Manipur High Court directive. (ANI)
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