Kin of Manipur violence victims to get Rs 10 lakh relief

Sources said the state and the Centre will make a 50:50 contribution to the compensation amount, adding that a proposal to provide a job to each of the families that lost a member is also on the table.

The state administration has also been asked to work out a way with the Centre’s help to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential items to Manipur. Sources said due to blockades by Meitei and Kuki groups on national highways, the supply of food and fuel to the state, particularly Imphal, has been severely disrupted and prices have soared.

At two separate meetings Monday night and Tuesday, Shah asked the security forces to deal with those disturbing peace strictly. “The Home Minister also reviewed the security situation with senior officials of Manipur Police, CAPFs and the Indian Army. He said that peace and prosperity of Manipur is our top priority and instructed them to strictly deal with any activities disturbing the peace,” said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a statement.

Sources said it was decided during the Monday meeting with state and central officials that the priority should be to restore law and order and then carry out relief operations. For this, sources said, it was decided to let the security forces take necessary action to disarm groups that have armed themselves with state armoury guns.

On Tuesday, Shah also held an all-party meeting in Imphal. “I informed the Home Minister that there has been a gross mishandling of the situation – by both the state as well as Centre,” CPI veteran and former state minister Moirangthem Nara told The Indian Express.

“Even before violence broke out on May 3, there were rumblings of tension. Two months preceding the violence, the opposition members had repeatedly requested the Chief Minister (Biren Singh) for an all-party meeting, but he never responded. Only when things got out of hand did he hold an all-party meeting. Even then, the resolutions taken at that meeting, such as setting up peace committees in each Assembly constituency, were never followed through,” he said.

Alleging that other opposition parties were not invited to the meeting, Nara, who attended the meeting following an invitation, said, “I raised this issue with the Home Minister…. I was told that invitations had been sent out to the presidents of all the opposition parties, but the fact of the matter is that none of the presidents, or any other member, received these invitations.” He said he handed over a memorandum on behalf of all opposition parties.

Before leaving for Churachandpur, Shah also met civil society organisations in Imphal. “Had a fruitful discussion with the members of the different Civil Society Organizations today in Imphal. They expressed their commitment to peace and assured that we would together contribute to pave the way to restore normalcy in Manipur,” he tweeted.

Earlier, he met Imphal-based women vendors, who have also held protests during the ongoing turmoil in the state. “Held a meeting with a group of women leaders (Meira Paibi) in Manipur. Reiterated the significance of the role of women in society of Manipur. Together, we are committed to ensuring peace and prosperity in the state,” he tweeted after the meeting.