Meghalaya CM: Only the Centre Can Heal Manipur’s Divisions

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said he was worried over the incidents of violence at Manipur and appealed to the Indian government to intervene into it and help in easing the escalating conflict.

Conrad Sangma opined, the Manipur situation was complex because many communities with the involvement of historical factors have contributed to the conflict at multiple levels. He reiterated, it is now high time for the Government of India to intervene and facilitate a political solution with the involvement of all communities, nurturing trust and unity.

He said what is needed now was for all to come together in a conducive atmosphere and take a call on a road ahead, and which only the Government of India was capable of.

The Manipur government has imposed a ban on internet services statewide owing to fresh outbreaks of violence. The ban, which started on Tuesday, aims to arrest misinformation and false rumours on social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Internet shutdown was declared to be extended till September 15 by the government today.

It said, "Exercising the powers conferred by Rule 2 of the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, and considering that the situation is very likely to create severe disturbances to the peace and public order, the government hereby orders suspension of Internet and mobile data services including lease lines, VSATs, broadband and VPN services throughout Manipur.".

The suspension, therefore, would extend for five continuous days starting from 3:00 P.M. from September 10, 2024, to 3:00 P.M. on September 15, 2024.

It was also reasoned in the order that there is an imminent possibility of loss of life and damage to both public and private properties since false rumors and inflammatory contents may be circulated through social media and messaging platforms and thereby can disturb the communal peace.

Meanwhile, in defiance of the curfew, over a thousand students protested in Imphal for a second day on Tuesday as the security forces lobbed tear gas shells and fired in the air to scatter the protesters, while the Manipur government banned mobile internet for five days to prevent spreading fake and concocted posts, photos and videos.

The students, who staged a protest in front of the Chief Minister's Secretariat and Raj Bhavan on Monday against the increasing violence in the state, stayed it out all night in the all-women Ima Market, also known as the Nupi Keithel, and locked themselves on its first floor as the market remained closed on Tuesday due to the reimposition of curfew.