Personnel of Army and Assam Rifles rescue people from the violence-hit areas after tribal groups' protest over court order on Scheduled Tribe status, in Imphal, Friday, May 5, 2023. (PTI/File Photo)Manipur Violence News Highlights, May 8: The Supreme Court Monday took note of the assurance given by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre and the Manipur government, that steps were taken to bring the situation in Manipur under control, Bar and Bench reported. They informed the SC that no untoward incidents were reported in the last two days, when the curfews in the state were relaxed. The court also emphasized that adequate steps need to be taken to ensure food and medical support for those in relief camps, and that necessary precautions need to be taken for the rehabilitation of displaced persons and protecting places of religious worship. The apex court, further, asked the Centre and the Manipur government to file status report in ten days, and posted the matter for hearing on May 17.
Meanwhile, the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand have been rushing to get their residents out of Manipur as soon as possible as violence continues to engulf the state. Most of the states have arranged special flights to get the residents, who are mostly students, out. Maharashtra students studying in Manipur will arrive in a special plane arranged by state government at 6.30 pm today.
Meanwhile, a defence spokesperson said that the Army has also significantly enhanced aerial surveillance through movement of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and redeployment of helicopters within Imphal valley. At least 52 people have been killed in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities on Wednesday, May 3, after which Chief Minister N Biren Singh held an all-party meeting, and a video conference with security personnel calling for calm and an end to violence.
Students from Maharashtra who were stuck in violence-hit Manipur Monday were brought back by the Eknath Shinde-led government.
(Express Photos by Amit Chakravarty)
Assam Director General of Police GP Singh Monday said that a police team has reached violence-hit Manipur to provide help or facilitate the return of any person stuck in the state, news agency PTI reported.
According to the report, he said most people from Assam residing in Manipur are not willing to return but the state government has put in place all efforts to reach out and help, as required. "Some people are coming back, but most people don't want to return. We are helping those who want to come back," Singh told reporters at a press conference.
He said a four-member police team, headed by an IGP-level officer, has already reached the neighbouring state. "The team is facilitating the people to reach airport who are trying to come back. Some people have already reached back here, while some are flying out today," Singh said.
Singh said that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had instructed them immediately after violence broke out in Manipur last week to get in touch with people from Assam staying in Manipur and provide all assistance, the report highlighted.
Helpline phone numbers have also been made operational and top brass of the administration is monitoring the situation constantly, the Singh added. (PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee referred to the Manipur violence as "a man-made problem," and said that the government is not giving a clear picture on the death toll in Manipur, news agency PTI reported.
At least 52 people have been killed in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities on Wednesday, May 3.
The Supreme Court Monday took note of the assurance given by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre and the Manipur government, that steps were taken to bring the situation in Manipur under control, Bar and Bench reported.
They informed the SC that no untoward incidents were reported in the last two days, when the curfews in the state were relaxed.
The court also emphasized that adequate steps need to be taken to ensure food and medical support for those in relief camps, and that necessary precautions need to be taken for the rehabilitation of displaced persons and protecting places of religious worship.
The apex court, further, asked the Centre and the Manipur government to file status report in ten days, and posted the matter for hearing on May 17.
Eighteen students from West Bengal stranded in Manipur were brought back to Kolkata on Monday morning, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, news agency PTI reported.
The students were pursuing B.Sc, M.Sc and Ph.D courses at the Central Agricultural University in Imphal, according to the CM.
After distress calls were received at the control room set up in state secretariat Nabanna, the rescue operation was started, Banerjee said. The students were brought back on a special flight arranged by the state government, and it landed at 10.15 am, she said. The cost of the travel was borne by the state government, according to Banerjee.
"Our officers received them at Kolkata airport special desk, and arranged their further onward journey from Kolkata to their residences," she tweeted.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday said that he spoke to his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh about the evacuation of four Delhi students who are stuck in the violence-hit state, PTI reported.
Singh assured him that the students would be provided with all necessary help, according to Kejriwal.
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said four students from Delhi are in Manipur and they will be evacuated on Tuesday. 'There are four students from Delhi in Manipur. They are safe. They will be evacuated tomorrow as no flight is available today. I will also talk to the Manipur CM,' he said.
Later, taking to Twitter, the chief minister said, 'Spoke to Hon'ble CM, Manipur. He was v(ery) cordial and has assured all help to our students. Thank u Sir.' (PTI)
Over 100 columns of Army and Assam Rifles have been working since 96 hours in order to significantly enhance the surveillance capability in Manipur, employment of aviation assets is being intensified. Aerial Vehicles and Helicopters have been pressed into action for surveillance not only in the hinterland but also along Indo Myanmar Border, the Indian Army said in a statement, reported ANI.
It added, 'Employment of these assets is giving a major fillip to the effectiveness of the Army and Assam Rifles, success of which is evident on ground in Manipur not only in hinterland but also for domination of Indo Myanmar Border to prevent any misadventure attempt by Manipur Valley Based Insurgent Groups staying across in various camps.'
A TRAIL of broken glass pieces and torched vehicles —as well as shops with shutters down —along the arterial Tidim Road speak volumes of the unrest Manipur’s Churachandpur town has witnessed since May 3. The road leads to the heart of the town where a poster has been put up. It has a photograph of a nurse, and says: “Martyred for the tribal cause.”
The photograph is of 34-year-old Nhianghoiching, who was among the three people shot dead allegedly by security personnel Friday night as a large group of people gathered on the road to block, what they believed, the evacuation of stranded Meiteis from the Kuki-dominated area in security vehicles.
Read more
The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar will bring back all students of the state stranded in violence-hit Manipur, an official said here on Monday.
All the students, holed up in their hostels and other places in the restive north-eastern state, will be brought back on Tuesday and the expenses of their travel will be borne by the government, he said.
"As per the directions from the chief minister, the Resident Commissioner in Delhi got in touch with students from Bihar in Manipur. They will be ferried to the airport in Imphal in buses, and flown back to Patna by a special flight," the official added. (PTI)
The students from Maharashtra have started their journey from Imphal to Guwahati, where they will board a special flight at 4:30 pm.
The Andhra Pradesh government has arranged two special flights on Monday to fly back as many as 157 students from the state stranded in strife-torn Manipur.
The flights will land at Hyderabad and Kolkata while the government is making arrangements to ferry them back home from there.
According to the government, 160 students from Andhra Pradesh are pursuing their education in various institutions such as NIT, IIIT and Central Agriculture University in the northeastern state.
The control room set up at AP Bhavan in Delhi managed to track the whereabouts of these students, enabling the authorities to streamline evacuation efforts, said a press note shared by the state government on Monday.
Further, a team of officials from AP Bhavan has been deputed to Kolkata to receive the students and assist them in taking connecting flights to Hyderabad.
From Hyderabad airport in Telangana, APSRTC buses will pick up the evacuees and take them back to their respective hometowns across the state. (PTI)
Life was crawling back to somewhat normal in violence-hit Manipur as people came out of their homes in state capital Imphal to buy essential items with the curfew being relaxed for a few hours on Monday morning, officials said.
Drones and helicopters continued a close watch, while personnel of the Army and Assam Rifles held flag marches in different areas that have been rocked by ethnic violence over the last few days, they said.
The curfew, imposed on Wednesday after the violence broke out, was relaxed from 5 am to 8 am in Imphal West district to allow people buy essential items. People came out in large numbers to buy vegetables, groceries and medicines. (PTI)
The governments of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand have been rushing to get their residents out of Manipur as soon as possible as violence continues to engulf the state. Most of the states have arranged special flights to get the residents, who are mostly students, out.
Altogether 596 people from violence-hit Manipur have fled to Mizoram and sought shelters in the state, officials said on Sunday.
At least 45 students from Mizoram, who were stranded in neighbouring Manipur following the ethnic clashes there since Wednesday, returned to their state safely during the day, they said.
Till Sunday evening, at least 151 people belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo community in Manipur have entered the Aizawl district, while 228 fled to the Kolasib near the Assam border and 217 others to Saitual bordering trouble-torn Manipur, Home Commissioner and Secretary H Lalengmawia said.
The majority of the displaced people are lodged at temporary camps in several villages, while others are accommodated by their local relatives, another official said. (PTI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday spoke to his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh over the phone and discussed the well-being and safety of 32 people from MP who are currently in the riot-hit state.
Most of these 32 people are students including some players.
“Chouhanji talked to his Manipur counterpart regarding the well-being and safety of students. They are safe and secure,” an official close to Chouhan told PTI.
Asked whether the MP government was planning to airlift the 32 people from Manipur and bring them back, the official asked, “Is Manipur like war-torn Syria or Ukraine? It is part of our country.” (PTI)
Altogether 208 students of Tripura, who have been studying in violence-hit Manipur, have returned to their home state safely, a senior official said on Sunday.
Twenty-one more students are still waiting at Imphal airport there to catch an Agartala-bound flight, he said.
Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed happiness over the safe return of the students.
“Happy to see the 1st group of people arrived from Manipur safely. Gradually, all the persons stranded there will be brought back. I thank our PM Narendra Modi ji, Home Minister Amit Shah ji, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia ji & CM-Manipur N Biren Singh ji for the constant support,' Saha said in a Facebook post. (PTI)
The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a batch of pleas on the Manipur situation including one by a ruling BJP MLA challenging the high court order on the issue of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community and a PIL by a tribal outfit for an SIT probe into the violence that rocked the northeastern state last week.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narashima and JB Pardiwala is scheduled to hear the matter.
The clashes between Meiteis and tribals started in Churachandpur district last Wednesday. The tribals are opposing reservation to the Meiteis following the March 27 Manipur High Court order that asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Meitei community.
Dinganglung Gangmei, BJP MLA and chairman of the Hills Area Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, in his appeal contended that the "proceedings before the High Court were vitiated on account of not making the HAC a party” and the HC order created tension and led to violence between the two communities. (PTI)
The Nagaland government brought back 676 people from violence-hit Manipur on Sunday, officials said.
They were brought back in 13 buses of Nagaland State Transport, and four police buses as part of 'Operation Kohima Calling'.
The buses were escorted by Assam Rifles jawans, two platoons of Nagaland Armed Police, and personnel of the India Reserve Battalion. Brigadier Ved Beniwal, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (North) Sheta Lohe and Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) Weku Zhiemi oversaw the rescue operation.
Among those rescued were people who went to Manipur with their families in search of work, 162 students and doctors of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, 40 students of Central Agriculture University, seven students of Food Technology College, 19 students of Manipur University, and five of the National Sports Academy, officials said.
They started at 5.30 am from Manipur and arrived at the 1st Assam Rifles camp in Kohima around 2 pm, and were later sent to their homes in different districts. (PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said 22 students from the state currently stuck in riot-hit Manipur will be first shifted to Assam from where a special flight will be arranged to bring them back home.
As many as 14 of them have been shifted to the Shiv Sena office in Manipur, the CM's office said in a statement.
Violent clashes broke out recently between tribals and members of the majority Meitei community in the north-eastern state of Manipur, which has so far displaced more than 13,000 people and killed at least 54.
The clashes broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in 10 hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
In the statement, CM Shinde said his government was keeping a watch on the situation in Manipur. His deputy Devendra Fadnavis also promised help to the affected students. (PTI)
Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Sunday convened a security review meeting at Imphal over the violence in the State.
Security Adviser to Manipur government Kuldip Singh, IPS (Retd) and Additional Director General of Police Ashutosh Sinha, the overall Operational Commander of the present turmoil arising in the State were present in the meeting.
According to Raj Bhavan, Governor Uikey expressed during the meeting that she had already made to all the sections of the society to solve the problem through peaceful dialogue amicably.
Governor appreciated the relentless efforts made by the Security Forces to save lives and properties at this critical juncture. Further, she also suggested shifting people, who are in different relief camps, to send to their respective places safely which was acceded to by both the Security Adviser and the Operational Commander.
Indian Army and Assam Rifles which were called in to curb violence in Manipur have successfully rescued nearly 23,000 civilians so far and moved them to the operating bases, a statement from the Indian Army said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met with the representatives of the 'Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)' in the wake of the violence in the State, informed CM in a tweet.
Political parties including Congress, NPF, NPP, CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party and Shiv Sena attended the meeting chaired by Biren Singh himself.
Manipur is back on the boil, with its multiple fault lines coming alive. The Centre has done well to step in and take over security of the state as the state government had failed to stem the violence raging in both the Imphal Valley and hill districts. Chief Minister Biren Singh, already beleaguered by dissension in the party, has appealed for peace but his administration has failed to rein in the mobs or negotiate a truce between the warring parties. The immediate step is to enforce peace, crack down on the violent mobs without fear or favour. That’s not easy given the deafening grind of so many axes around the ethnic, religious and geographic divides that have roiled the state for decades. Read more
The Northeast is no stranger to violence. With some of India’s oldest separatist movements, going back seven decades, still raging in the region, it has witnessed untold horrors over the years. However, over the past 20 years, conflict in the Northeast has been on the decline, with normalcy having been established in many states.
What Manipur had though was largely a long, peaceful stretch, which has now shattered, with violent clashes gripping the state, and leaving more than 50 killed at last count. Houses and shops have been razed, churches set on fire, scores have fled homes, many have taken shelter in camps, while others are hiding out in their homes, hoping the first such clashes between ethnic communities in the state in 30 years won’t reach them. Read more
Amid unrest in parts of Manipur, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken various measures to help air passengers while airlines have waived rescheduling and cancellation charges for flights to and from the capital city of Imphal.
Curfew was relaxed on Sunday in parts of Manipur which saw ethnic rioting over the last few days.
According to a civil aviation ministry official, the AAI is coordinating with the state government for transportation of stranded passengers from the airport to the city under escort and a help desk has also been set up with effect from May 4.
The help desk counter is provided with AAI LAN internet facility to print tickets as internet services are unavailable in the state, as per the official.
A total of 10,531 passengers at Imphal airport and the total flight movements handled was 108 till May 6, including 50 defence movements and 6 additional flights, the official added.
Air India and IndiGo have waived fee for rescheduling/cancellation for all their flights to and from Imphal from May 4 to 7. (PTI)
The Andhra Pradesh government has arranged a special flight in coordination with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to evacuate more than 100 students from the state stranded in violence-hit Manipur. The southern state has identified 100 students until now, who are studying in educational institutions such as NIT, IIIT and Central Agriculture University in Manipur.
However, the details of the flight schedule are awaited which is aimed at bringing back the students to their hometowns safely.
On Sunday, Aditya Nath Das, Resident Commissioner, AP Bhavan, Delhi sent letters to the secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation and the chief secretary of Manipur towards this endeavour.
"It is to bring to your kind notice that over 150 students from AP state are presently stranded in Manipur amidst violence that erupted on May 3... It is humbly requested that necessary support is extended for the safe passage of these students at the earliest," wrote Das, requesting for providing escort and security for the students as part of evacuation efforts to chief secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. (PTI)
A batch of pleas has been filed in the Supreme Court on the Manipur situation including one by a ruling BJP MLA challenging the high court order on the issue of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community and a PIL by a tribal outfit for a probe by an SIT into the violence that rocked the northeastern state last week.
Appeals have been filed by Dinganglung Gangmei, BJP MLA and chairman of the Hills Area Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, challenging various orders passed by the Manipur High Court on the ST status to Meiteis, including the contempt notices on the criticism of the HC order.
Gangmei in his appeal said the HAC "was a necessary and proper party and the proceedings before the High Court were vitiated on account of not making the HAC a party”.
He said, “Even if directions were to be given they could not have been given without notice to the HAC (Hills Area Committee) and hearing the HAC." He said that due to the impugned order tension between both the community have taken place and violent clashes have erupted across the state.
“As a result of it so far 19 tribal people have been killed, various places in the states are blocked, the internet is completely shutdown and more people are at risk of losing their lives”, the appeal said.
The PIL filed by an NGO 'Manipur Tribal Forum', through advocate Satya Mitra, said it has moved the top court under Article 32 of the Constitution on account of the extreme situation arising out of the attacks on the tribal community in Manipur by a “dominant group”.
It alleged that "these attacks have the full support of the party in power ... which supports the dominant group" and sought directions to the Centre and Manipur to evacuate Manipuri tribals who have fled their villages. (PTI)
Requesting the warring groups in Manipur to maintain peace, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said the Central government was ready for talks and settle the issue.
Stating that the Centre was not adamant when it came to people's welfare, Reddy said that it even withdrew three Farm Laws when agriculturists demanded the repeal of the controversial regulations.
He stressed that people's welfare was the government's main agenda and requested Manipur residents to understand this and come forward for talks. He assured them that the government (state or centre) will take care of those who suffered losses due to violence and lost lives in the clashes.
Reddy said after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, during the last eight years discussions were held with several insurgent groups (in the Northeast), and peace prevailed in the region.
He said Modi would order a comprehensive inquiry into the issue. (PTI)
Indian Army and Assam rifles has rescued 23,000 civilians so far in crisis-hit Manipur and moved them to operating bases, Indian Army said in a statement on Sunday. People were seen stepping out of their houses to buy food, medicines and other essential commodities during a curfew relaxation period Sunday morning as life limped back to normal in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, reported PTI.
Image source: PTI
A day after an apex body of the Catholic Church in Kerala condemned the alleged ethnic violence in Manipur, the opposition Congress on Sunday voiced concern about the tragic events there and urged the BJP-ruled Centre to ensure safety of Malayalees stranded in the north-eastern state. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly and Congress leader V D Satheesan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to ensure Malayalees stuck in Manipur are safe and to help them return to Kerala.
In the letter, Satheesan also raised concerns about "the tragic events of vandalism of Christian churches and persecution of members of the Christian community in the state of Manipur". He contended that the north-eastern state was peacefully administered by the Congress, when it was in power there, and now it has allegedly been transformed into a "hotbed of intense sectarian conflict".
"Many people have died, and many more have fled to other states in fear of persecution. Churches have been ransacked and set ablaze in places like Checkon, New Lambulane, Sangaiprou, and Game Village," Satheesan wrote.
Manipur has been simmering since February, when the incumbent administration initiated an eviction campaign aimed at a certain tribal minority, Satheesan said. (PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said a special flight will be arranged for students from the state currently stuck in the riot-hit Manipur.
Violent clashes broke out recently between tribals and members of the majority Meitei community in Manipur, which has so far displaced more than 13,000 people and killed at least 54.
The clashes broke out after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in 10 hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
CM Shinde in an official statement said his government was keeping a watch on the situation in Manipur.
"There are 22 students (in Manipur) from Maharashtra. I have spoken to two of them - Vikash Sharma and Tushar Awhad - and assured them of arranging a special flight to return home. I told them not to be afraid of anything, the state is making all the necessary arrangements to bring them back safely,” he said.
The students were studying in some of the technology institutes based in Manipur, the release said.
"I have also spoken to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Manoj Sounik and other state officials to make the necessary arrangements. We are currently watching the situation closely,” the CM said. (PTI)
A total of 128 students of Sikkim were rescued from violence-hit Manipur, and were being brought back to the state on Sunday, officials said.
The stranded students were first brought to Kolkata on flights arranged by the state government from Imphal. From Kolkata, they boarded buses for Siliguri in northern West Bengal.
From Siliguri, they will be brought to state capital Gangtok by SNT buses.
A doctor from Sikkim, who was posted in a far-off area in Manipur, was also safely brought back, officials said.
Chief Secretary VB Pathak led the 'Operation Gurans' to bring back the students.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang was constantly monitoring the situation, and took stock of the safety and security of the students, officials said. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the home department to help students from the state currently stranded in violence-hit Manipur. The chief minister’s direction to the home department came after the students appealed to the Uttar Pradesh government to rescue them from Manipur caught in an ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
A government official said Principal Secretary (home department) Sanjay Prasad had spoken to the chief secretary of Manipur and requested him to help students from Uttar Pradesh. He added that the state relief commissioner’s office has also been directed to coordinate with the Manipur government.
The large-scale communal riots that have spread like wildfire in Manipur since May 3 are deeply disturbing and have exposed the collapse of law and order in the state.
The immediate spark for the violence was provided by the retaliatory destruction of the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial Gate in Leisang and razing of Vaiphei houses in Kangvai village by Meitei mobs following the beating up of a Meitei driver whose tripper truck hit a bike and ran over a stock of water bottles kept for use by peaceful tribal protestors in Lamka on the same day. However, these riots seem to follow an established pattern witnessed in other parts of India. This pattern follows what Paul Brass calls an “institutionalised riot system” (IRS), wherein riots are prepared, activated and sustained with explanatory justifications.
Brass argued that far from being unpredictable, unpreventable and spontaneous, Hindu-Muslim riots are manufactured and sustained by an institutional ecosystem. If early reports about the riots in Manipur are any indication, it could fit as a textbook case of Brass’s IRS.
Read the full story.
The Northeast is no stranger to violence. With some of India’s oldest separatist movements, going back seven decades, still raging in the region, it has witnessed untold horrors over the years. However, over the past 20 years, conflict in the Northeast has been on the decline, with normalcy having been established in many states.
What Manipur had though was largely a long, peaceful stretch, which has now shattered, with violent clashes gripping the state, and leaving more than 50 killed at last count.
Read more
Total 23,000 civilians have been rescued till now and were moved to own operating bases/military garrisons, with the help of the Army and Assam Rifles, reports ANI.
People were seen stepping out of their houses to buy food, medicines and other essential commodities during a curfew relaxation period Sunday morning as life limped back to normal in this riot-affected town, reported PTI. Meanwhile, a defence spokesperson reportedly said that army has also significantly enhanced aerial surveillance through movement of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and redeployment of helicopters within Imphal valley. (PTI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has voiced concern over the safety of students from the state stranded in violence-hit Manipur.
Gehlot on Saturday said that top officials of his government are in touch with officials in the northeastern state.
Manipur is no stranger to violent protests, but the ongoing violence between the Kuki-Zomi tribals and the largely Hindu Meiteis is the first time in three decades that the state has witnessed direct clashes between two ethnic groups. In 1993, Hindu Meiteis clashed with Pangals (Muslims), and there was horrific violence involving the tribal Nagas and Kukis, which saw more than a hundred Kukis massacred in a single day, and thousands driven from their homes.
Kukis and Nagas point out that tribal areas are 90% of state’s geographical area, but the bulk of its budget and development work is focused on the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley. Each of these groups has its aspirations and insecurities, and old grievances have been triggered by new developments, writes Esha Roy.
Violent clashes broke out at various places in Manipur during the course of a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called on Wednesday (May 3) by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM). The Army and Assam Rifles carried out flag marches in the areas hit by the violence.
Wednesday’s march was called to oppose the longstanding demand that the Meitei community be included in the list of the state’s Scheduled Tribes (ST), which received a boost from an order of the Manipur High Court last month.
Both the demand and the order, passed by a single judge of the High Court, have been strongly opposed by groups representing the state’s tribal communities. The court’s order, released on April 14, asking the government to consider the demand, has brought the historical tensions between the valley-dwelling Meitei community and the state’s hill tribes to a boil.
To find out about the longstanding tensions between hill and valley people, the Meitei demand for ST status, and a recent HC order, click here.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the ruling BJP in Manipur, and called for President's rule in the state.