Amit Shah reviews security situation in restive Manipur

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday reviewed the security situation in ethnic violence-hit Manipur amidst reports of fresh incidents of trouble in the northeastern state.

At the high-level meeting, Shah was given a detailed briefing on the prevailing situation in the state by top security officials, sources said.

The home minister took stock of the situation in Manipur a day after the state's Governor Anusuiya Uikey had called on him here. It is believed that Uikey apprised him about the law and order situation there.

There were reports of fresh violence in capital Imphal and Jiribam recently. The Centre is said to be worried over the violence spreading to new areas like Jiribam, which has been by and large peaceful in the last one year, the sources said.

During the meeting, Manipur government representatives said that adequate forces were deployed in the areas where fresh violence were reported, they said.

Security Advisor to the Manipur government Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh and Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi attended the meeting on behalf of the state government.

However, Chief Minister N Biren Singh was not present at the meeting.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, Army Chief-designate Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and other senior officials were present at the hour-long meeting.

Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 after a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts of the state to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Since then, over 220 people belonging to both Kuki and Meitei communities and security personnel have been killed in the continuing violence.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.

Shah's review of the Manipur situation came a day after he took a similar meeting on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

On June 10, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern over peace eluding Manipur even after one year and said the situation in the strife-torn state must be considered with priority.

Addressing a gathering of RSS trainees in Nagpur, he had said, "Manipur is waiting for peace for the last one year. There was peace in Manipur 10 years ago. It felt like gun culture had finished there. But the state has suddenly seen violence".

Bhagwat said the situation in Manipur will have to be considered with priority and there is need to get over election rhetoric and focus on problems facing the nation. Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur are believed to be drawing attention of the Modi government's third term as both the states have been witnessing unrest for long.