Manipur: Union Ministry of Home Affairs to talk to Kukis and Meiteis soon

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will talk to both the Meitei and Kuki communities of Manipur at the earliest possible time so as to bridge the ethnic divide in the state. Home Minister Amit Shah said this on Monday when he chaired a high-level meeting in the national capital to review the security situation in Manipur.

Amit Shah said that the deployment of central forces would be increased if required, and the central forces should be deployed strategically to restore peace and tranquilly in the state. He directed that no further incidents or violence take place in Manipur.

He also instructed the Chief Secretary of Manipur to ensure proper health and education facilities for the displaced people and their rehabilitation.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Chief Tapan Deka, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Army Chief (Designate) Lt General Upendra Dwivedi, GoC Three Core HS Sahi, Security Advisor to Manipur Kuldiep Singh, Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh, and Assam Rifles DG Pradeep Chandran Nair joined the meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block, Delhi.

The meeting comes a day after Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uike called on the Home Minister at his office and learned to be briefed about the situations in the north-eastern state.

The meeting was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs as fresh violence was reported in the northern state.

The northeastern state has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 3 last year following clashes during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.

In fresh violence, several houses belonging to both Meitei and Kuki communities were burned by unknown miscreants in Kotlen following the murder of a person earlier this month, the Manipur Police said.

Around 600 people from Manipur’s Jiribam area are now taking shelter in Assam’s Cachar district following fresh violence reported in Manipur’s Jiribam area.
The Cachar district police have heightened security along the bordering areas.

It is worth mentioning here that RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat expressed concern over Manipur and said on June 10 in Nagpur that “Manipur has been waiting for peace for the last year. There was peace in Manipur ten years ago. It felt like gun culture had finished there, but the state has suddenly seen violence. The situation in Manipur will have to be considered with priority.” (Agencies)

 Also Read: Meitei, tribal organizations blame each other for fresh violence in Manipur (sentinelassam.com)

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