Manipur CM, other leaders reach Delhi to discuss current situation

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, along with his cabinet colleagues and legislators, left for Delhi on Sunday, where he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders to discuss the current situation in the state. , ravaged by recent ethnic violence. Sources close to both the government and the ruling BJP said the chief minister, other ministers and state leaders were to go to Delhi soon after caste violence broke out on May 3, but the prime minister, home minister, other central leaders were to go. The meetings are being postponed due to being busy with the Karnataka Assembly elections.

Power, Forest and Agriculture Minister Biswajit Singh, who is second in command after Biren Singh, and state BJP president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi also accompanied the chief minister. According to the source, apart from the caste violence and subsequent developments, the issue of the ongoing Suspension of Operation (SOO) with the Kuki insurgent organizations of the state is also likely to be discussed.

The chief minister’s visit to the national capital assumes significance as 10 tribal legislators belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi groups on Friday indirectly demanded a “separate state” for the tribals. -Tribal Meitei and Adivasis. Of the 10 MLAs, five are from the BJP, two each from the Janata Dal-United and the Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) and one independent. Janata Dal-United, KPA and Independent MLAs are also part of the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur.

Claiming nearly 70 lives and injuring a few hundred, ethnic violence, clashes, large-scale arson, indiscriminate vandalism, destruction of government and private properties followed the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ held in 10 hill districts in May in Manipur. Random destruction took place. 3 To protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence was preceded by tensions and protests over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserved forest land and the destruction of opium cultivation, which led to a number of local movements. Non-tribal Meiteis constitute about 53 percent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the valley areas, while the tribal population belonging to the Naga and Kuki communities constitute 40 percent and live in the hill districts.

Kuldeep Singh, security advisor to the Manipur government, said that 71 people had died since May 3, of which 41 were victims of caste violence, while others died due to various reasons including drug overdose. A total of 339 cases of assault and arson have been registered, he said.