Manipur violence: CM visits Delhi to meet PM, Shah to discuss situation

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and four members of his cabinet have gone to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday to discuss the situation in the northeastern state shaken by violence for the past several days, a source said.

The issue of the ongoing suspension of operation (SOO) with militant organisations of the state is also likely to be discussed, the source said.

The chief minister’s visit to Delhi also followed the demand by 10 tribal MLAs belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi group in Manipur for a “separate administration” for their region in the wake of recent violent clashes between the Meiteis and tribals.

Of the 10 legislators, 7 belong to the BJP, two are from Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) and one is an Independent. The two KPA and independent MLAs are also part of the NDA led by the saffron party.

Four cabinet ministers – Th Biswajit, Y Khemchand, K Govindas and Th Prasanta – accompanied the chief minister to Delhi.

BJP state president A Sharda Devi also went to Delhi with them, the source said.

Violent clashes broke out in the north-eastern state after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The clashes were 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.

The chief minister had on Monday said that 60 people were killed, 231 injured and 1,700 houses including religious places burnt in the ethnic violence that rocked the northeastern state for the past few days.