Take stern, prompt actions to prevent violence: Amit Shah to security forces

On the third day of his visit to Manipur, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah visited Moreh and Kangpokpi on Wednesday and had wide-ranging discussions with civil society organisations and security forces, directing officials to take “stern and prompt actions to prevent violence and recover looted weapons to bring back normalcy at the earliest”.

The Home Minister’s direction came in a meeting with top officials in Imphal.

Shah took a briefing on the security situation in Manipur from senior officials.

“Home Minister held a security review meeting with top officials in Imphal. He directed them to take stern and prompt actions to prevent violence, against armed miscreants and recover looted weapons to bring back normalcy at the earliest,” said a home ministry statement.

The home minister, who is on a four-day visit to Manipur till 1 June, also met a delegation of the Hill tribal council, Kuki Students Organisation, Kuki Chiefs Association, Tamil Sangam, Gorkha Samaj and Manipuri Muslim council in Moreh on Wednesday.

The delegates expressed strong support for the government’s initiatives to restore normalcy in the state, the statement added.

In Kangpokpi, Shah met delegations of civil society organisations such as the Committee on Tribal Unity, Kuki Inpi Manipur, Kuki Student organisation, Thadou Inpi and Prominent personalities and intellectuals.

The home minister assured that “supply of essential items in hill areas and helicopter services for emergency needs in Churachandpur, Moreh and Kangpokpi will be ensured.”

Home minister also visited a relief camp in Kangpokpi and met the Kuki community members.

Shah said, “We are committed to restoring peace in Manipur as early as possible and ensuring their return to their homes.”

The minister also visited a relief camp in Imphal where the members of the Meitei community are residing.

In the meeting, Shah said, “Our resolve remains focused on leading Manipur back to the track of peace and harmony once again and their return to their homes at the earliest.”

On his second day of visit to Manipur on Tuesday, Shah held wide-ranging discussions with civil society organisations, a group of prominent personalities, intellectuals, retired Army officers and civil servants here in Imphal.

The home minister also reviewed the security situation with senior officials of the Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces and the Indian Army.

In the meeting with security personnel, Shah said, “Peace and prosperity of Manipur is our top priority.”

He instructed the officials to strictly deal with any activities disturbing the peace of the state.

Reiterating the significance of the role of women in the society of Manipur, the home minister said, “Together, we are committed to ensuring peace and prosperity in the state”.

The minister visited Churachandpur on Tuesday and held a meeting with prominent personalities and a delegation of Civil Society Organisations.

Later on Tuesday evening, Shah held an all-party meeting in Imphal.

He had also chaired a meeting with the Manipur Chief Minister and ministers of the state, senior leaders and officials soon after he arrived in Imphal on Monday evening and assessed the situation and chalked out a plan for further steps to restore normalcy in the region.

The visit was scheduled as five persons, including a Manipur Police Officer, were killed, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA’s house was vandalised and over 1,000 arms and ammunition were reportedly looted by a mob from armories of Manipur Rifles and IRB on Sunday.

Manipur faced violence on May 3 during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. The march was organised in protest against the demand for inclusion of the state’s Meitei community in the ST category, following a 19 April Manipur High Court directive.