Guwahati: Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, is on a day-long visit to Guwahati, Assam to attend multiple events marking the completion of 2 years of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government in the state.
In Guwahati, Shah appealed to the people of Manipur to maintain peace and assured justice for all. At a gathering in Guwahati, Shah declared that he will go to Manipur for 3 days in a few days to talk to the locals about preserving peace. Even as isolated incidents of extreme violence continue to emerge in the Northeastern state, the Union Home Minister made the assertion.
The announcement from the Union Minister was made as another person was killed in the northeastern state as a result of recent fighting between a group of residents and suspected militants in an area bordering the conflict-torn districts of Bishnupur and Churachandpur in Manipur.
Leichombam Abungnao, 22, was injured when suspected militants opened fire on the group of people, most of whom were those who were displaced during the most recent ethnic clashes in Churachandpur and sought refuge in a relief camp at Moirang in Bishnupur, the officer said. Toijam Chandramoni, 30, was shot dead during the violence on Wednesday.
Amit Shah said, there were confrontations in Manipur following a court's decision. I would urge both factions to uphold peace since everyone will be treated fairly. In a few days, I'll travel to Manipur by myself, where I'll spend three days talking to the locals about bringing about peace. However, "people must hold a dialogue to ensure peace in the state," Shah said. "The Centre will ensure that justice is given to all who suffered in the clashes that broke out in the state." The Manipur government imposed a 24-hour curfew in the area and shortened the curfew relaxation times in a number of other districts.
An official reported that a group of people vandalised the home of Manipur PWD Minister Konthoujam Govindas in the Bishnupur district on Wednesday, claiming that the state's administration was not doing enough to safeguard residents from militants from another community.
However, the BJP leader minister and his family were not home when the mob, which was primarily made up of women, attacked the home in the Ningthoukhong neighbourhood and destroyed a section of a gate, windows, some furniture, and electronic devices.
In the ongoing, three-week-old ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the state, this was the first time a minister's home was targeted. Armed forces from the army and paramilitary groups have been sent in to manage the situation in the state. After a "Tribal Solidarity March" was held throughout the hill districts on May 3 to oppose the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, fighting broke out in Manipur.
Tension over the displacement of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land had caused a number of smaller agitations before to the violence in Manipur. The majority of Meiteis, who make up around 53% of Manipur's population, reside in the Imphal Valley. Another 40% of the population is made up of the Naga and Kuki tribes, who live in the hill districts.
Over 70 people were killed during the ethnic confrontations, and 10,000 army and paramilitary men had to be sent in to get things back to normal in the northeastern state.
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