Manipur: Amit Shah holds series of meetings as 110 dead
After reaching strife-torn Manipur on Monday, Union Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah held a string of meetings with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Governor Anusuiya Uikey, state ministers, and officials to assess the ground situation. He is likely to hold several meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday to resolve the ethnic conflict, which has reportedly claimed over 110 lives.
Why does this story matter?
Widespread ethnic violence has engulfed Manipur for over a month. Clashes broke out between the tribal communities and the Meiteis, who form the state's majority and have been demanding the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The spate of violence has ebbed and flowed, while tribal groups have accused the BJP-led central and state governments of backing the Meitieis and fanning the flames as Manipur burns.
2,000 Meitieis, 328 Kukis evacuated to relief camps
Officials on Monday said 25 miscreants with arms, ammunition, and grenades were rounded up by government forces. Meanwhile, around 2,000 Meiteis and 328 Kukis were evacuated to relief camps. Tribal groups have accused the government of trying to paint the conflict as one between two communities instead of the government's systemic failure. Notably, this is Shah's first visit to Manipur since the violence erupted.
Combing operations underway to recover looted arms
Violence reignited in Manipur after days of relative peace on Sunday when militants and security forces exchanged fire, killing two. The Indian Army and paramilitary personnel are carrying out combing operations in Imphal Valley and surrounding districts to recover the sophisticated arms and ammunition that mobs looted from government and police armories. Meanwhile, the government has extended the internet ban in Manipur till Wednesday.
40 Kuki terrorists killed, 'not militants': CM
The violence was most intense between May 3 and 6, which saw more than 1,700 houses burned down and over 35,000 people displaced. On May 13, Security Advisor to the Manipur government, Kuldeep Singh, pegged the number of deaths at 71. CM Singh said on Sunday that around "40 Kuki terrorists" were killed, and a few were arrested over the last four days.
Tribal MLAs called for separate administration
Singh claimed that the latest round of "conflict isn't between communities but between Kuki terrorists and security forces." He stressed that they were "not Kuki militants, but terrorists." On May 12, 10 Kuki MLAs, including seven from the ruling BJP, called for a separate administration for tribal areas as the Manipur government "miserably failed to protect" the Chin-Kuki-Zomi tribals. However, Singh declined the demand.
