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Amit Shah will stay in Manipur for four days. During this, the Home Minister will hold several rounds of security meetings.
Home Minister Amit Shah reached Imphal in Manipur on Monday. Here late night he held a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, ministers and officials. The meeting discussed ways to normalize the situation in the state.
Amit Shah will stay in Manipur for four days. During this, the Home Minister will hold several rounds of security meetings. Earlier in the day, the Manipur government ordered sedition cases against those spreading fake news about the violence in the state.
Home Minister Amit Shah also met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey in Imphal.
So far 80 people have lost their lives due to the violence.
Violence broke out in some areas of Manipur on Sunday, a day before Amit Shah’s visit. Violent clashes took place in Serau and Sugnu areas adjoining the capital Imphal. In this, 5 people including 1 policeman were killed, while 12 were injured. Around 80 people have lost their lives so far due to the violence in the state.
40 people were encountered
Amidst the ongoing violence since 26 days, the police have also done encounters of 40 people till Sunday. State CM N Biren Singh has confirmed these encounters. He has described those killed in the encounter as ‘militants’. CM said- These people are using M-16, AK-47 assault rifles and sniper guns against common citizens. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reached Manipur on Monday night.
Army evacuates 2,000 villagers
The Army and the Assam Rifles launched a major rescue operation on Sunday after fresh violence broke out. In which the villagers of Kuki tribe and Meitei community were helped to reach safe places.
The army and paramilitary forces, along with the police, state administration and civil society organizations, evacuated about 2,000 Meitei villagers from Sero and took them to the Pangaltabi relief camp. Similarly, about 328 villagers of Kuki tribe were safely shifted from Sugnu to Sajik Tampak.
People are being taken to a safer place by Indian Army trucks. Vehicles are being monitored from the sky.
Internet ban till May 31, 40 thousand people have migrated
People of the Kuki tribe in Manipur have been protesting since May 3 against the grant of ST status to the Meitei community. After this the law and order in the state deteriorated. The central government had to deploy the army and paramilitary forces in the state. Curfew was imposed in many districts, which continues till now. Internet has also been banned till May 31. So far 40 thousand people have migrated from the state.
Know in 4 points, the whole controversy…
1. Meitei community accounts for half the population in Manipur.
The Meitei community forms more than half of Manipur’s population of about 3.8 million. The Imphal Valley, which covers about 10% of Manipur’s area, is dominated by the Meitei community.
Recently, the Manipur High Court has issued orders to the state government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST).
2. Why the Meitei community is asking for reservation
People of the Meitei community argue that before the merger with the Indian Union in 1949, they had the status of a tribe in the princely state. In the last 70 years, the Meitei population has decreased from 62 percent to around 50 percent. The Meitei community is demanding reservation for its cultural identity.
3. Naga-Kuki tribe against reservation
The Naga and Kuki tribes of Manipur are opposed to giving reservation to the Meitei community. The Nagas occupy 90% of the state’s area and the Kukis form 34% of the state’s population.
They say that 40 of the state’s 60 assembly seats are already in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley. Politically, the Meitei community is already dominant in Manipur.
The Naga and Kuki tribes are apprehensive that reservation for Meitei in the ST category will lead to division in their rights. As per the existing law, the Meitei community is not allowed to settle in the hilly areas of the state.
4. Reservation issue due to recent violence
The recent violence in Manipur can be attributed to the Meitei reservation. In August last year, Chief Minister Biren Singh’s government had ordered the eviction of the Naga and Kuki tribes living in the forest areas of Churachandpur, terming them as infiltrators. Naga-Kuki were getting angry with this. The Meiteis are Hindus, while most of the Nagas and Kukis of the ST category follow Christianity.
Also read this news related to Manipur violence…
Hindu Meitei seek ST status, Christian tribals enraged: The real story of Manipur violence
The Meitei community is dominant in the Imphal Valley region. These are mostly Hindus. Their share in the total population of Manipur is about 53%. Out of total 60 MLAs of Manipur, 40 MLAs are from the Meitei community. Read full news…