Manipur violence: Over 50 dead; CM Biren chairs all-party meet
What's the story
At least 54 individuals have reportedly died so far in the ongoing violence in Manipur that broke out during a protest march on Wednesday, while thousands have been displaced.
CM N Biren Singh chaired a high-level all-party meeting to take stock of the situation on Saturday.
Notably, the Indian Army and paramilitary forces have been working to restore peace in violence-hit parts of Manipur.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The unrest in Manipur initially started over a rally protesting the Meitei community's demand for tribal status.
It is worth noting that the Meiteis constitute approximately 53% of the northeastern state's total population and are mainly concentrated in the Imphal Valley.
On the other hand, the tribals fear the Meiteis getting the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status will also affect their resources and land.
Details
Here's what Singh said after all-party meeting
"Held an all-political party meeting to discuss the current situation in Manipur and to collectively work towards bringing peace and stability to the state," Singh was quoted by the news agency PTI.
"During the meeting, it was resolved to appeal for peace in the state and encourage all citizens to avoid any actions that could lead to further violence or instability," he added.
Further details
Curfew in Churachandpur relaxed for few hours
Meanwhile, the curfew that restricted the movement of individuals outside their homes has been relaxed for three hours in violence-struck Manipur's Churachandpur district on Sunday morning to permit people to buy essential items such as food and medicines.
The curfew was imposed under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) Section 144 and has been relaxed from 7am to 10am on Sunday.
Know more
Manipur CM shares official notification of curfew relaxation
"With the law and order situation improving in Churachandpur district and after talks were held between the state government and various stakeholders," the Manipur CM said in a tweet on Saturday while sharing a copy of the notification.
"I'm pleased to share that the curfew will be partially relaxed (sic)," he added, mentioning details of the curfew relaxations on Saturday and Sunday as well.
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
With the law and order situation improving in Churachandpur district & after talks were held between the state government and various stakeholders, I’m pleased to share that the curfew will be partially relaxed as per the details shared below; pic.twitter.com/c0puVJcX2G
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) May 6, 2023
Further information
Rijiju talks about Manipur violence
On Saturday, Union Law and Justice Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kiren Rijiju stated that the Center was taking all possible steps to reduce the violence in Manipur and restore normality.
The minister also added that he received several calls from different chief ministers and other political leaders regarding the situation in Manipur.
Quotes
People should live in unity: Rijiju
"The Centre is taking all possible actions. It is very unfortunate. Many people have died and losses have been incurred. We are all brothers. People should live in unity," ANI quoted him as saying.
"People in Manipur should maintain brotherhood. Issues can be solved through dialogue. Under the Modi regime, the northeast has gone very far in terms of development," added Rijiju.