Amit Shah meets Meitei-Kuki groups, political parties for peace in violence-hit Manipur

At least 11 star athletes including Olympic medalists threatened to return their awards if peace is not restored immediately

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday held separate meetings with leaders of both Meitei and Kuki communities, and all major political parties as part of the Centre's efforts to restore peace in Manipur, which has been in turmoil for the past 27 days.

Shah reached Imphal on Monday evening on a three-day-long tour as sporadic violence and burning of houses continued to be a worry for the government and security forces. At least 75 persons have died while nearly 2,000 houses have been burnt down in a riot involving the majority Meiteis and the tribal Kukis since May 3. The violence displaced over 35,000 others too.

On Tuesday, Shah first met leaders of Manipur's influential women organisation Meira Paibis in Imphal, following which he met civil society organisations and intellectuals based in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley. Meira Paibis urged Shah to take stern measures to restore peace and also demanded ST status for the Meiteis and NRC to detect "illegal migrants" from neighbouring Myanmar. They also demanded that the Suspension of Operation agreement with the Kuki insurgent groups should be cancelled.

Meeting in the hills:

In the afternoon, Shah visited Churachandpur, one of the Kuki-dominated hill districts, where violence first broke out on May 3 following a protest march by Kuki organisations opposing the demand for ST by the majority Meiteis.

Read | Manipur: Kuki rebel groups pin hope on Amit Shah's visit, slam the state government

Flaunting placards, hundreds lined up on both sides of a road in Churachandpur, which Shah used to reach a camp of Assam Rifles from the helipad.

"The solution lies with you," one of the placards read.

Shah met leaders of Kuki civil society organisations before returning to Imphal for an all-party meeting on Tuesday evening.

Sources said the Kuki groups opposed the demand for ST status by the Meiteis and alleged that the Biren Singh government played a biased role and targeted the Kukis.

They also rejected the allegations about involvement of the Kuki insurgent groups (in suspension of operation agreement).

Shah later held a security review meeting in Imphal with representatives of the Army, Assam Rifles and other security forces.

The Army was called in on May 3 while restriction on mobile and broadband internet has still remained in force. CM Biren Singh earlier said nearly 34,000 security forces including the Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed in the sensitive areas in order to check violence and restore peace.

Shah is scheduled to visit Kangpokpi, another Kuki-dominated district, and Moreh sharing a border with Myanmar, on Wednesday, where the Kuki protesters have kept the NH-2 (Imphal-Dimpaur) blocked since May 3.

Mirabai, 10 other athletes' appeal:

Several star athletes from Manipur, including Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu, in a memorandum to Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday warned they would return their medals if peace and normalcy is not restored immediately in the trouble-torn Manipur.

Those who signed the memorandum include boxer L Sarita Devi, Padma Awardee weightlifter Kunjarani Devi, and former Indian women football captain Bem Bem Devi. They also sought steps for clearing of the blockade on NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) that has severely impacted transportation of commodities to Manipur. They said prices of essential commodities have gone up due to the blockade on the highway.

Rs. 10 lakh ex-gratia:

In the meeting Shah held with CM Biren Singh and other members of the state cabinet on Monday evening, it was decided to pay ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased, along with provision for giving a government job to a family members of those killed in the riot. Decision was also taken to take steps to improve law and order and take up confidence-building measures.