News Analysis India

Tag: Manipur

  • Manipur violence: Centre faces the heat over two women paraded naked; four arrested

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/IMPHAL: The grinding violence that has roiled Manipur for more than two months burst onto the national centre stage on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CJI D Y Chandrachud expressed deep anguish over a graphic video of two disrobed women being brutalised by a mob, calling the incident “shameful” and “unacceptable.”

    The incident in a village in Kangpokpi district that was captured in the 26-second video and stoked a nationwide outrage took place a day after ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern state on May 3 but the horrific footage surfaced only on Wednesday and became viral after the internet ban was lifted.

    Hours after Prime Minister Modi in his first public comments on the Manipur violence vowed that no guilty will be spared and law will act with its “full might and firmness”, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the police have arrested two men.

    CJI Chandrachud also warned that the apex court will take action if nothing is happening on the ground.

    Taking suo motu cognisance of the video, police last night said a case of abduction, gang rape and murder was registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station against unknown armed men.

    ALSO READ | CM Biren says accused in Manipur horror video ‘arrested immediately’, but old FIRs show dereliction of duty

    The video capturing the ordeal of the two tribal women has become emblematic of the divide between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki tribal group, as political leaders cutting across party lines condemned the incident which also rocked Parliament on the opening day of the Monsoon session.

    “Today, when I am standing by this temple of democracy my heart is full of pain and anger,” Modi told reporters at Parliament complex amid criticism by opposition parties for not speaking on the ethnic violence in the BJP-ruled state.

    “I want to assure the countrymen that no guilty will be spared. The law will act with its full might and firmness…What has happened to these daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven.”

    The incident in the state is “shameful” for any decent society and it has insulted the entire country and the 140 crore countrymen are feeling ashamed, he added.

    Chief Minister Biren Singh said a thorough investigation is underway and strict action, including possible capital punishment, will follow. “It’s a crime against humanity. We will not spare anyone,” he told reporters in Imphal.

    Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after the May 4 video showed two women from one of the warring communities in the state being paraded naked by a mob from the other side.

    ‘Grossest constitutional and human rights violation’

    The anguish over the incident found echo in the Supreme Court where a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Chandrachud took cognisance of the video and asked the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate action. It also said using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is “simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.”

    “We are very deeply disturbed by the videos which have emerged yesterday about the way those two women were paraded in Manipur,” said the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra.

    “I think it is time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable,” the CJI said, adding, “We will give a little time to the government to act, otherwise we will take action if nothing is happening on the ground.”

    He also termed it the “grossest” Constitutional and human rights violation, adding that the court is conscious of the fact that the video is from May 4 but that makes no difference.

    The Centre also asked Twitter and other social media platforms to take down a video of the incident since the matter is being probed. Sources said the videos were inflammatory, and as the matter is under investigation, Twitter and other social media companies have been asked to remove the video.

    Senior BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the party “condemns” the incident but said the surfacing of its footage on social media just a day ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session is “surrounded by a lot of mystery.”

    ‘Humanity has died’

    Proceedings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were disrupted and adjourned for the day with opposition MPs creating an uproar over the incident and demanding a discussion in Parliament.

    Outside Parliament, opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiv Sena and DMK, took up the issue in a big way. Hitting out at the government, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister had broken his silence on Manipur but it was “too little too late.”

    Accusing the Centre of turning democracy into a “mobocracy”, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said “humanity has died in Manipur” and asked Modi to speak about the ethnic violence-hit state in Parliament and tell the nation what happened.

    Echoing him, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “This incident is shameful for the whole country. It is very disturbing.”

    Hitting out at the Centre over the violence in Manipur, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said “mothers and daughters” of the country are crying after seeing the video.

    The National Commission for Women(NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and asked the Manipur state police chief to take prompt action in the matter.

    Members of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) also staged a protest in the state.

    One of the eyewitnesses to the May 4 incident, Hahat Vaiphei, claimed the villagers of B Phainom thwarted a similar attempt by a mob the previous day.

    More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    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 mostly in the hill districts.

    NEW DELHI/IMPHAL: The grinding violence that has roiled Manipur for more than two months burst onto the national centre stage on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CJI D Y Chandrachud expressed deep anguish over a graphic video of two disrobed women being brutalised by a mob, calling the incident “shameful” and “unacceptable.”

    The incident in a village in Kangpokpi district that was captured in the 26-second video and stoked a nationwide outrage took place a day after ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern state on May 3 but the horrific footage surfaced only on Wednesday and became viral after the internet ban was lifted.

    Hours after Prime Minister Modi in his first public comments on the Manipur violence vowed that no guilty will be spared and law will act with its “full might and firmness”, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the police have arrested two men.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    CJI Chandrachud also warned that the apex court will take action if nothing is happening on the ground.

    Taking suo motu cognisance of the video, police last night said a case of abduction, gang rape and murder was registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station against unknown armed men.

    ALSO READ | CM Biren says accused in Manipur horror video ‘arrested immediately’, but old FIRs show dereliction of duty

    The video capturing the ordeal of the two tribal women has become emblematic of the divide between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki tribal group, as political leaders cutting across party lines condemned the incident which also rocked Parliament on the opening day of the Monsoon session.

    “Today, when I am standing by this temple of democracy my heart is full of pain and anger,” Modi told reporters at Parliament complex amid criticism by opposition parties for not speaking on the ethnic violence in the BJP-ruled state.

    “I want to assure the countrymen that no guilty will be spared. The law will act with its full might and firmness…What has happened to these daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven.”

    The incident in the state is “shameful” for any decent society and it has insulted the entire country and the 140 crore countrymen are feeling ashamed, he added.

    Chief Minister Biren Singh said a thorough investigation is underway and strict action, including possible capital punishment, will follow. “It’s a crime against humanity. We will not spare anyone,” he told reporters in Imphal.

    Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after the May 4 video showed two women from one of the warring communities in the state being paraded naked by a mob from the other side.

    ‘Grossest constitutional and human rights violation’

    The anguish over the incident found echo in the Supreme Court where a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Chandrachud took cognisance of the video and asked the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate action. It also said using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is “simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.”

    “We are very deeply disturbed by the videos which have emerged yesterday about the way those two women were paraded in Manipur,” said the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra.

    “I think it is time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable,” the CJI said, adding, “We will give a little time to the government to act, otherwise we will take action if nothing is happening on the ground.”

    He also termed it the “grossest” Constitutional and human rights violation, adding that the court is conscious of the fact that the video is from May 4 but that makes no difference.

    The Centre also asked Twitter and other social media platforms to take down a video of the incident since the matter is being probed. Sources said the videos were inflammatory, and as the matter is under investigation, Twitter and other social media companies have been asked to remove the video.

    Senior BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the party “condemns” the incident but said the surfacing of its footage on social media just a day ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session is “surrounded by a lot of mystery.”

    ‘Humanity has died’

    Proceedings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were disrupted and adjourned for the day with opposition MPs creating an uproar over the incident and demanding a discussion in Parliament.

    Outside Parliament, opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiv Sena and DMK, took up the issue in a big way. Hitting out at the government, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister had broken his silence on Manipur but it was “too little too late.”

    Accusing the Centre of turning democracy into a “mobocracy”, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said “humanity has died in Manipur” and asked Modi to speak about the ethnic violence-hit state in Parliament and tell the nation what happened.

    Echoing him, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “This incident is shameful for the whole country. It is very disturbing.”

    Hitting out at the Centre over the violence in Manipur, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said “mothers and daughters” of the country are crying after seeing the video.

    The National Commission for Women(NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and asked the Manipur state police chief to take prompt action in the matter.

    Members of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) also staged a protest in the state.

    One of the eyewitnesses to the May 4 incident, Hahat Vaiphei, claimed the villagers of B Phainom thwarted a similar attempt by a mob the previous day.

    More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    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 mostly in the hill districts.

  • FIR filed against Manipur singer for controversial song, LPG trucks allegedly torched

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: An FIR was lodged against popular Meitei singer Jayenta Loukrakpam alias Tapta for a song which allegedly targeted the Kuki community.

    The FIR was lodged by an individual Nengzalian Tonsing with the police in Kuki-majority Churachandpur district.

    The police registered a case against the singer under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 500 (defamation), 505 (public mischief), and section 3(1) U of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

    Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) alleged three trucks, carrying LPG cylinders and owned by a Kuki-Zo tribal, were torched by a group of women in the West Sekmai village of Imphal on Saturday.

    ALSO READ | Manipur Governor indicates ‘foreign hand’ behind violence; state peaceful for third successive day

    The vehicles remained stranded at the Indian Oil Corporation’s gas plant in Sekmai since May 3 when the violence broke out and were being moved out to Kangpokpi district after the owner Misao Gas agency had received approval from the police, the ITLF said.

    It said the N Biren Singh-led government claimed the state was returning to normalcy but in reality, there was no peace at all on the ground.

    “The majority community is still continuing with its ethnic cleansing programme – targeting the life and property of all Kuki-Zo tribals. This is why, there needs to be total separation of the communities for peace to return,” the ITLF said in a statement.

    Meanwhile, opposition Congress trained its guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP again over the Manipur violence.

    “The inaction and silence of the Prime Minister and the BJP government on the situation in Manipur is unexplainable, unforgivable and criminal,” the Congress said on Saturday.

    It alleged the central government abdicated its responsibility to the people of Manipur in particular and the Northeast in general.

    GUWAHATI: An FIR was lodged against popular Meitei singer Jayenta Loukrakpam alias Tapta for a song which allegedly targeted the Kuki community.

    The FIR was lodged by an individual Nengzalian Tonsing with the police in Kuki-majority Churachandpur district.

    The police registered a case against the singer under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 500 (defamation), 505 (public mischief), and section 3(1) U of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) alleged three trucks, carrying LPG cylinders and owned by a Kuki-Zo tribal, were torched by a group of women in the West Sekmai village of Imphal on Saturday.

    ALSO READ | Manipur Governor indicates ‘foreign hand’ behind violence; state peaceful for third successive day

    The vehicles remained stranded at the Indian Oil Corporation’s gas plant in Sekmai since May 3 when the violence broke out and were being moved out to Kangpokpi district after the owner Misao Gas agency had received approval from the police, the ITLF said.

    It said the N Biren Singh-led government claimed the state was returning to normalcy but in reality, there was no peace at all on the ground.

    “The majority community is still continuing with its ethnic cleansing programme – targeting the life and property of all Kuki-Zo tribals. This is why, there needs to be total separation of the communities for peace to return,” the ITLF said in a statement.

    Meanwhile, opposition Congress trained its guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP again over the Manipur violence.

    “The inaction and silence of the Prime Minister and the BJP government on the situation in Manipur is unexplainable, unforgivable and criminal,” the Congress said on Saturday.

    It alleged the central government abdicated its responsibility to the people of Manipur in particular and the Northeast in general.

  • Closed for over two months, Manipur Axis bank branch finds over Rs one crore cash stolen

    By IANS

    IMPHAL: Cash, amounting to at least Rs 1 crore, was reportedly stolen from an Axis Bank branch in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, closed since May 4 over ethnic violence in the state, as it reopened on Monday and the burglary was detected, police said

    A police official in Imphal said that it was reported in a section of the media that there was a robbery at Axis Bank’s Churachandpur branch.

    Preliminary reports revealed that it was not a robbery but a burglary as the bank branch was closed on May 4, after the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, and it was opened on Monday.

    “It was found that after breaking the ventilator of the bathroom, some suspects entered the strongroom of the bank through the bathroom and made a hole in the wall of the strong room. Proper investigation will be conducted after the arrival of the Manager of the bank with the keys to the strong room,” the official told the media.

    He said that during the past 24 hours, state police and central forces conducted search operations in the vulnerable and fringe areas of both valley and hill districts and a total of 10 illegal bunkers, set up by the militants and miscreants, were destroyed.

    Since late Sunday evening, firing between armed groups were reported at Dampi range, Khoijumantabi, Langza, K. Geljang, K. Songnung, Bethel, Apunlok, Kangchup foothills, and Koutruk village areas. No casualty was reported in any of the shootouts.

    Firing between armed groups also took place in the Singda, Kadangband and Gelzang areas. The dead body of one person with bullet injuries was found in the Geljang hill range along with one MI rifle.

    IMPHAL: Cash, amounting to at least Rs 1 crore, was reportedly stolen from an Axis Bank branch in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, closed since May 4 over ethnic violence in the state, as it reopened on Monday and the burglary was detected, police said

    A police official in Imphal said that it was reported in a section of the media that there was a robbery at Axis Bank’s Churachandpur branch.

    Preliminary reports revealed that it was not a robbery but a burglary as the bank branch was closed on May 4, after the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, and it was opened on Monday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “It was found that after breaking the ventilator of the bathroom, some suspects entered the strongroom of the bank through the bathroom and made a hole in the wall of the strong room. Proper investigation will be conducted after the arrival of the Manager of the bank with the keys to the strong room,” the official told the media.

    He said that during the past 24 hours, state police and central forces conducted search operations in the vulnerable and fringe areas of both valley and hill districts and a total of 10 illegal bunkers, set up by the militants and miscreants, were destroyed.

    Since late Sunday evening, firing between armed groups were reported at Dampi range, Khoijumantabi, Langza, K. Geljang, K. Songnung, Bethel, Apunlok, Kangchup foothills, and Koutruk village areas. No casualty was reported in any of the shootouts.

    Firing between armed groups also took place in the Singda, Kadangband and Gelzang areas. The dead body of one person with bullet injuries was found in the Geljang hill range along with one MI rifle.

  • Manipur violence: Mob sets fire to IRB personnel’s house after clash

    By PTI

    IMPHAL: An irate mob torched the house of an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel in Manipur’s Thoubal district, police said on Wednesday.

    The incident took place at Samaram on Tuesday night after a 27-year-old man, identified as Ronaldo, was killed in a clash when a 700-800-strong mob tried to storm the camp of the 3rd IRB at Wangbal, 4 km away, to loot firearms.

    The forces tried to bring the situation under control and used teargas shells and rubber bullets at first. But as the armed mob opened fire, the forces shot back, officials said.

    The mob also blocked the roads leading to the camp at multiple locations to prevent reinforcements from reaching there, but the forces moved through, they said.

    The mob attacked a team of the Assam Rifles that was on the way to the camp. They fired on the Assam Rifles personnel, in which a jawan was injured, and torched their vehicle, officials said.

    The jawan was shot in the leg, they said.

    In the clashes, a man, identified as Ronaldo, was shot. He was first taken to the Thoubal district hospital but later referred to a hospital in Imphal as his condition was critical. He died on the way to the state capital, officials said.

    Ten others were also injured in the clashes and six of them with serious injuries were admitted to a hospital in Imphal, they said.

    IMPHAL: An irate mob torched the house of an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel in Manipur’s Thoubal district, police said on Wednesday.

    The incident took place at Samaram on Tuesday night after a 27-year-old man, identified as Ronaldo, was killed in a clash when a 700-800-strong mob tried to storm the camp of the 3rd IRB at Wangbal, 4 km away, to loot firearms.

    The forces tried to bring the situation under control and used teargas shells and rubber bullets at first. But as the armed mob opened fire, the forces shot back, officials said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The mob also blocked the roads leading to the camp at multiple locations to prevent reinforcements from reaching there, but the forces moved through, they said.

    The mob attacked a team of the Assam Rifles that was on the way to the camp. They fired on the Assam Rifles personnel, in which a jawan was injured, and torched their vehicle, officials said.

    The jawan was shot in the leg, they said.

    In the clashes, a man, identified as Ronaldo, was shot. He was first taken to the Thoubal district hospital but later referred to a hospital in Imphal as his condition was critical. He died on the way to the state capital, officials said.

    Ten others were also injured in the clashes and six of them with serious injuries were admitted to a hospital in Imphal, they said.

  • Govt sets up three-member panel to probe Manipur violence

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Sunday set up a Commission of Inquiry, headed by the former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to probe the recent series of violence in Manipur that claimed more than 80 lives.

    According to a notification issued by the Union Home Ministry, the commission will make an inquiry with respect to the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, which took place in Manipur on May 3 and thereafter.

    It will probe the sequence of events leading to, and all the facts relating to such violence; whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities/individuals and adequacy of the administrative measures taken to prevent, and to deal with the violence and riots.

    The inquiry by the commission shall look into the complaints or allegations that may be made before it by any individual or association.

    The commission shall submit its report to the central government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting.

    The commission, however, if it deems fit, can make interim reports to the central government before the said date.

    The other members of the commission are retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.

    The home ministry notification said large-scale violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 and as a result of the violence, many residents of the state lost their lives and several others got seriously injured.

    Their houses and properties were burnt down as a result of arson and many of them were rendered homeless, it said.

    The notification said the government of Manipur recommended on May 29 for the institution of a judicial inquiry commission to look into the causes and associated factors of the crisis and the unfortunate incidents happened on May 3 and afterwards under the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.

    On the recommendation of the government of Manipur, the central government is of the opinion that it is necessary to appoint a commission of inquiry for the purpose of making an inquiry into a definite matter of public importance, namely, incidents of violence in Manipur.

    “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952), the central government hereby appoint a Commission of Inquiry,” the notification read.

    The headquarters of the commission will be in Imphal.

    Manipur has been witnessing sporadic violence ever since ethnic clashes broke out on May 3.

    The death toll from clashes has gone up to over 80, officials said.

    The ethnic violence first broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

    The Union home minister visited the state for four days last week as part of the confidence-building measures in the state and met all segments of society.

    The home minister has said peace and prosperity of Manipur are the government’s top priority and instructed them to strictly deal with any activities that disturb peace.

    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Sunday set up a Commission of Inquiry, headed by the former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to probe the recent series of violence in Manipur that claimed more than 80 lives.

    According to a notification issued by the Union Home Ministry, the commission will make an inquiry with respect to the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, which took place in Manipur on May 3 and thereafter.

    It will probe the sequence of events leading to, and all the facts relating to such violence; whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities/individuals and adequacy of the administrative measures taken to prevent, and to deal with the violence and riots.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The inquiry by the commission shall look into the complaints or allegations that may be made before it by any individual or association.

    The commission shall submit its report to the central government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting.

    The commission, however, if it deems fit, can make interim reports to the central government before the said date.

    The other members of the commission are retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.

    The home ministry notification said large-scale violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 and as a result of the violence, many residents of the state lost their lives and several others got seriously injured.

    Their houses and properties were burnt down as a result of arson and many of them were rendered homeless, it said.

    The notification said the government of Manipur recommended on May 29 for the institution of a judicial inquiry commission to look into the causes and associated factors of the crisis and the unfortunate incidents happened on May 3 and afterwards under the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.

    On the recommendation of the government of Manipur, the central government is of the opinion that it is necessary to appoint a commission of inquiry for the purpose of making an inquiry into a definite matter of public importance, namely, incidents of violence in Manipur.

    “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952), the central government hereby appoint a Commission of Inquiry,” the notification read.

    The headquarters of the commission will be in Imphal.

    Manipur has been witnessing sporadic violence ever since ethnic clashes broke out on May 3.

    The death toll from clashes has gone up to over 80, officials said.

    The ethnic violence first broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

    The Union home minister visited the state for four days last week as part of the confidence-building measures in the state and met all segments of society.

    The home minister has said peace and prosperity of Manipur are the government’s top priority and instructed them to strictly deal with any activities that disturb peace.

  • Congress leaders meet President Droupadi Murmu over Manipur crisis 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Top Congress leaders on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu and sought her intervention in helping bring normalcy in violence-hit Manipur, and called for the constitution of a high-level inquiry commission headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge to probe the incident.

    A delegation of Congress leaders led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge met the president and handed over a memorandum to her seeking her urgent intervention and handed over a 12-point charter of demands to be taken immediately to help bring peace and normalcy in the north-eastern state.

    It is with a deep sense of loss and hurt that we humbly submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for her kind intervention so that the extraordinary situation confronting Manipur can be redressed and normalcy can be brought in urgently. @rashtrapatibhvn1/2 pic.twitter.com/ESx0oBT0PC
    — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 30, 2023
    “Though there were several lapses in the management of the situation at the early stages of violence, leading to the present imbroglio. Now it is not the time to point fingers, but to act. If the suggestions above are implemented in earnest, peace can perhaps be restored once again. The Congress party is a responsible political party and is ever ready to lend support to any initiative to restore peace, normalcy and harmony in the state of Manipur,” the Congress memorandum to the president said.

    “A high-level inquiry commission should be constituted headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge,” it also said.

    They also called for firm and sustained efforts must be made to control violence in every part of the state for the immediate restoration of peace, harmony, and normalcy, and urged the president to ask the central government to immediately take all possible measures to control and confine all militant groups (including those under SoO) and ensure that all armed civilian groups be stopped forthwith by taking appropriate action.

    The state government must immediately take over the management and maintenance of all relief camps and provide proper health and sanitation facilities for all, the party suggested in its memorandum.

    The letter and spirit of the existing Constitutional provisions related to the state of Manipur must be protected, and the trust between communities should be restored through reconciliation and dialogue, it also said.

    “It is with a deep sense of loss and hurt that we humbly submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for her kind intervention so that the extraordinary situation confronting Manipur can be redressed and normalcy can be brought in urgently,” Kharge said on Twitter after the meeting.

    President Droupadi Murmu in a meeting with a Congress delegation led by party President Mallikarjun Kharge, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (Photo | PTI)

    “As a responsible political party, the Indian National Congress is ever ready to lend support to any initiative to restore peace, normalcy and harmony in Manipur. We humbly submit the following 12 demands for immediate action. Only then there will be peace in the state,” the Congress president said.

    Among those who were part of the Congress delegation that met the President besides Kharge were former chief minister Ibobi Singh, Congress leader Mukul Wasnik, former deputy chief minister Gaikhangam and PCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, besides AICC in-charge for Manipur Bhakt Charan Das.

    “The letter and spirit of the existing Constitutional provisions related to the state of Manipur must be protected, and the trust between communities should be restored through reconciliation and dialogue,” the memorandum also said.

    Later, addressing a press conference, AIC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the current situation in Manipur is a result of the divisive politics of the BJP which is clearly responsible.

    “It is the intelligence failure, the administrative failure and the political failure in Manipur,” Ramesh told reporters, accusing the BJP of its divisive politics which is responsible for the current situation in the northeastern state.

    He said the current crisis is the result of BJP’s “neeyat and neetiyon” (intent and policies) and alleged that there was a lack of will on the part of the state and central government to resolve it.

    “This is the second time in the last 22 years. Manipur burned in the June of 2001 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji was the prime minister, Manipur is burning in 2023 when Mr Narendra Modi is the prime minister. There is something in the politics and ideology of the BJP, there is something in the way the BJP manages the diversity of Manipur and other states that is not conducive to social harmony in the long run,” Ramesh said.

    AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh with Congress leaders addresses a press conference, at AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (Photo | PTI)

    He said several innocent people have lost their lives, hundreds of houses burns and thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, but the state government and the central government have remained silent so far.

    He added that the Congress leaders in the state are flying back to Imphal and have sought a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah for seeking the immediate restoration of peace and normalcy there.

    “It’s the RSS/BJP’s politics of divide and rule that is responsible for the current crisis in Manipur. The last time Manipur burned was 22 years ago when BJP was ruling in the Centre. This time things have turned from bad to worse,” he also tweeted.

    Ramesh said today morning a delegation led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge submitted a memorandum to the Hon’ble President of India on the ongoing ethnic clash in Manipur and made 12 demands.

    He said 15 months ago the BJP received a big mandate in Manipur due to the help of militant groups there.

    “Why did you compromise with them to win elections. The current crisis in Manipur is the result of the divisive policies of the BJP,” he asked.

    Ibobi Singh asked why prime minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have remained silent so far and what their intentions were not resolving the crisis and bringing immediate peace.

    “What is the law and order responsibility of the government as killings and burnings are continuing. Is Manipur under India. Why is the prime minister silent? Why is Amit Shah silent? They have remained a silent spectator,” the former chief minister alleged.

    Alleging that violence could have been stopped on the very first day but it was allowed to continue till now, he said, “The prime minister’s silence shows there is some deep conspiracy”.

    “Do you want to divide the state or hand over to others. Why is there such an approach,” he asked.

    The Congress demanded that the villages near the foothills of both communities must be covered with adequate security so that armed militants do not intrude and disturb the peace.

    “The Union government should take steps for the rehabilitation of all displaced persons at their original place or in safer areas with suitable security arrangements. Payment of dignified and reasonable compensation for loss of life, property, and all other things concerned to all the victims and affected persons. There is a need for immediate identification of those who have lost their lives and handing their bodies over to the bereaved families for the last rites,” the party also demanded, adding that a special drive must be carried out to trace many numbers of missing people.

    NEW DELHI: Top Congress leaders on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu and sought her intervention in helping bring normalcy in violence-hit Manipur, and called for the constitution of a high-level inquiry commission headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge to probe the incident.

    A delegation of Congress leaders led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge met the president and handed over a memorandum to her seeking her urgent intervention and handed over a 12-point charter of demands to be taken immediately to help bring peace and normalcy in the north-eastern state.

    It is with a deep sense of loss and hurt that we humbly submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for her kind intervention so that the extraordinary situation confronting Manipur can be redressed and normalcy can be brought in urgently. @rashtrapatibhvn
    1/2 pic.twitter.com/ESx0oBT0PCgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
    — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 30, 2023
    “Though there were several lapses in the management of the situation at the early stages of violence, leading to the present imbroglio. Now it is not the time to point fingers, but to act. If the suggestions above are implemented in earnest, peace can perhaps be restored once again. The Congress party is a responsible political party and is ever ready to lend support to any initiative to restore peace, normalcy and harmony in the state of Manipur,” the Congress memorandum to the president said.

    “A high-level inquiry commission should be constituted headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge,” it also said.

    They also called for firm and sustained efforts must be made to control violence in every part of the state for the immediate restoration of peace, harmony, and normalcy, and urged the president to ask the central government to immediately take all possible measures to control and confine all militant groups (including those under SoO) and ensure that all armed civilian groups be stopped forthwith by taking appropriate action.

    The state government must immediately take over the management and maintenance of all relief camps and provide proper health and sanitation facilities for all, the party suggested in its memorandum.

    The letter and spirit of the existing Constitutional provisions related to the state of Manipur must be protected, and the trust between communities should be restored through reconciliation and dialogue, it also said.

    “It is with a deep sense of loss and hurt that we humbly submitted a memorandum to the President of India, for her kind intervention so that the extraordinary situation confronting Manipur can be redressed and normalcy can be brought in urgently,” Kharge said on Twitter after the meeting.

    President Droupadi Murmu in a meeting with a Congress delegation led by party President Mallikarjun Kharge, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (Photo | PTI)

    “As a responsible political party, the Indian National Congress is ever ready to lend support to any initiative to restore peace, normalcy and harmony in Manipur. We humbly submit the following 12 demands for immediate action. Only then there will be peace in the state,” the Congress president said.

    Among those who were part of the Congress delegation that met the President besides Kharge were former chief minister Ibobi Singh, Congress leader Mukul Wasnik, former deputy chief minister Gaikhangam and PCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, besides AICC in-charge for Manipur Bhakt Charan Das.

    “The letter and spirit of the existing Constitutional provisions related to the state of Manipur must be protected, and the trust between communities should be restored through reconciliation and dialogue,” the memorandum also said.

    Later, addressing a press conference, AIC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the current situation in Manipur is a result of the divisive politics of the BJP which is clearly responsible.

    “It is the intelligence failure, the administrative failure and the political failure in Manipur,” Ramesh told reporters, accusing the BJP of its divisive politics which is responsible for the current situation in the northeastern state.

    He said the current crisis is the result of BJP’s “neeyat and neetiyon” (intent and policies) and alleged that there was a lack of will on the part of the state and central government to resolve it.

    “This is the second time in the last 22 years. Manipur burned in the June of 2001 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji was the prime minister, Manipur is burning in 2023 when Mr Narendra Modi is the prime minister. There is something in the politics and ideology of the BJP, there is something in the way the BJP manages the diversity of Manipur and other states that is not conducive to social harmony in the long run,” Ramesh said.

    AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh with Congress leaders addresses a press conference, at AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (Photo | PTI)

    He said several innocent people have lost their lives, hundreds of houses burns and thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, but the state government and the central government have remained silent so far.

    He added that the Congress leaders in the state are flying back to Imphal and have sought a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah for seeking the immediate restoration of peace and normalcy there.

    “It’s the RSS/BJP’s politics of divide and rule that is responsible for the current crisis in Manipur. The last time Manipur burned was 22 years ago when BJP was ruling in the Centre. This time things have turned from bad to worse,” he also tweeted.

    Ramesh said today morning a delegation led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge submitted a memorandum to the Hon’ble President of India on the ongoing ethnic clash in Manipur and made 12 demands.

    He said 15 months ago the BJP received a big mandate in Manipur due to the help of militant groups there.

    “Why did you compromise with them to win elections. The current crisis in Manipur is the result of the divisive policies of the BJP,” he asked.

    Ibobi Singh asked why prime minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have remained silent so far and what their intentions were not resolving the crisis and bringing immediate peace.

    “What is the law and order responsibility of the government as killings and burnings are continuing. Is Manipur under India. Why is the prime minister silent? Why is Amit Shah silent? They have remained a silent spectator,” the former chief minister alleged.

    Alleging that violence could have been stopped on the very first day but it was allowed to continue till now, he said, “The prime minister’s silence shows there is some deep conspiracy”.

    “Do you want to divide the state or hand over to others. Why is there such an approach,” he asked.

    The Congress demanded that the villages near the foothills of both communities must be covered with adequate security so that armed militants do not intrude and disturb the peace.

    “The Union government should take steps for the rehabilitation of all displaced persons at their original place or in safer areas with suitable security arrangements. Payment of dignified and reasonable compensation for loss of life, property, and all other things concerned to all the victims and affected persons. There is a need for immediate identification of those who have lost their lives and handing their bodies over to the bereaved families for the last rites,” the party also demanded, adding that a special drive must be carried out to trace many numbers of missing people.

  • Four civilians, 40 militants killed in violence-hit Manipur as unrest continues

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: At least 40 militants were killed in the ongoing operations by the security forces and the police in restive Manipur even as sporadic incidents of firing and arson were reported from four districts on Sunday, on the eve of Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state.

    Official sources said the militants were killed in separate operations over the past four days. An estimated 34,000 Army and paramilitary personnel are deployed in the state.

    Four civilians lost their lives in the stray incidents — three in Sugnu in Kakching district and another in Phayeng in Imphal West district on Sunday, local media reported.

    At least 10 others — injured in the violence in Sugnu — were admitted to a hospital in Imphal. Violence was also reported from Imphal East and areas on the border of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts. The state government condemned the attacks on unarmed civilians. 

    At Uripok in Imphal West district, a mob ransacked the house of BJP MLA Kh Raghumani Singh and torched two vehicles. 

    After briefing Army Chief General Manoj Pandey on the prevailing situation, Chief Minister N Biren Singh told journalists that mass combing operations along with helicopter surveillance were underway. 

    “We are trying to find out the culprits, those militants who are attacking civilians. Around 33 militants have been killed,” he said.

    However, a government statement said “around 30 terrorists” were killed. A senior official said the number of militants killed rose to 40 by 5 pm. Several others were nabbed.

    Singh said the government was saddened by the casualties on both sides and assured all possible steps in restoring normalcy. 

    He said the spurt in violent attacks on civilian houses appeared well-planned “to show their capacity” especially when Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai is in the state and “group peace missions” are being formed as part of the efforts to bring back peace.

    He said those trying to break the state and disrupt peaceful co-existence were the enemies of all 34 communities. 

    Stating that this clearly is a challenge to the state and its integrity, he said the government would not allow disintegration and uproot “these armed terrorists”.  He said the fight is between armed terrorists and the state government which was being assisted by the Centre.

    Meanwhile, Shah, who is arriving in the state on a three-day visit on Monday, is likely to meet the leaders of various communities. Army’s Eastern Commander Lieutenant General RP Kalita visited several sensitive districts over the past few days to assess the ground situation.

    GUWAHATI: At least 40 militants were killed in the ongoing operations by the security forces and the police in restive Manipur even as sporadic incidents of firing and arson were reported from four districts on Sunday, on the eve of Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state.

    Official sources said the militants were killed in separate operations over the past four days. An estimated 34,000 Army and paramilitary personnel are deployed in the state.

    Four civilians lost their lives in the stray incidents — three in Sugnu in Kakching district and another in Phayeng in Imphal West district on Sunday, local media reported.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    At least 10 others — injured in the violence in Sugnu — were admitted to a hospital in Imphal. Violence was also reported from Imphal East and areas on the border of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts. The state government condemned the attacks on unarmed civilians. 

    At Uripok in Imphal West district, a mob ransacked the house of BJP MLA Kh Raghumani Singh and torched two vehicles. 

    After briefing Army Chief General Manoj Pandey on the prevailing situation, Chief Minister N Biren Singh told journalists that mass combing operations along with helicopter surveillance were underway. 

    “We are trying to find out the culprits, those militants who are attacking civilians. Around 33 militants have been killed,” he said.

    However, a government statement said “around 30 terrorists” were killed. A senior official said the number of militants killed rose to 40 by 5 pm. Several others were nabbed.

    Singh said the government was saddened by the casualties on both sides and assured all possible steps in restoring normalcy. 

    He said the spurt in violent attacks on civilian houses appeared well-planned “to show their capacity” especially when Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai is in the state and “group peace missions” are being formed as part of the efforts to bring back peace.

    He said those trying to break the state and disrupt peaceful co-existence were the enemies of all 34 communities. 

    Stating that this clearly is a challenge to the state and its integrity, he said the government would not allow disintegration and uproot “these armed terrorists”.  He said the fight is between armed terrorists and the state government which was being assisted by the Centre.

    Meanwhile, Shah, who is arriving in the state on a three-day visit on Monday, is likely to meet the leaders of various communities. Army’s Eastern Commander Lieutenant General RP Kalita visited several sensitive districts over the past few days to assess the ground situation.

  • BJP trying to replicate Manipur-like situation in Bengal: Mamata

    The BJP wants to create a situation wherein Adivasis will fight Kurmis so that army can be called in and the military will have shoot-at-sight orders and we won't be able to protect, said Mamata. SALBONI:  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the BJP was trying to replicate a Manipur-like situation in her state by planning to orchestrate ethnic riots.

    She condemned the attack on state minister Birbaha Hansda’s vehicle and claimed that BJP activists, not members of the Kurmi community, were behind the incident that took place on Friday.

    The feisty TMC boss iterated there will be a change of guard at the Centre in the next six months, and “people’s rights will be restored, and politics of hatred will come to an end”.

    “The BJP was behind the ethnic violence in Manipur. The saffron party is trying to replicate similar riots between communities in West Bengal. They want to separate the hills from Bengal.”

    They want to create a situation wherein Adivasis will fight Kurmis so that army can be called in and the military will have shoot-at-sight orders and we won’t be able to protect if someone is shot or killed.

    “The BJP is pumping in huge money in the area to foment trouble,” she said at a rally in Salboni in Paschim Medinipur district.

    Banerjee said those trying to fuel ethnic riots in the state will not be spared.

    Earlier this month, ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur claimed the lives of over 70 people, and 10,000 security forces were deployed even as curfew was imposed and internet services were suspended.

    The car of minister Birbaha Hansda, who is also the MLA of Jhargram constituency, was attacked by alleged members of the Kurmi community, leaving several TMC activists injured.

    The vehicle was part of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy.

    “I condemn yesterday’s violence in which minister Birbaha Hansda’s vehicle was attacked with lathis and stones. She is a proud Adivasi and a state minister. I believe the violence was not a handiwork of the Kurmis. BJP workers disguised as members of the Kurmi community were behind it,” she said while addressing TMC’s mass outreach campaign ‘Trinamool e Nabojowar’ (new wave in Trinamool).

    She alleged that the BJP was providing money and muscle power to fuel ethnic tension in the area, which was affected by Maoist insurgency a decade back.

    Listing out various developmental projects implemented by the state government for the development of tribal-inhabited areas in the state, the CM said her most significant achievement was to bring back peace in Junglemahal region in the western part of the state by putting an end to the Maoist insurgency.

    Incidentally, the BJP made deep inroads in Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts collectively called ‘Junglemahal’ (the area is home to dense forests) in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly elections.

    The Kurmi community, which is classified as OBC in West Bengal, staged protests in several districts, including Dakshin Dinajpur, Purulia, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur, in April, disrupting railway and highway traffic, to press for the demand for inclusion into the Scheduled Tribe list.

    “The Centre has asked me why I haven’t instituted a task force for the NRC (National Register of Citizens) exercise in Bengal. I assure you that I will not let that happen,” she said.

    “People of the country have tolerated a lot in the last nine years of the BJP rule at the Centre. But don’t worry, this pain will be over in six months’ time. The Union government is bound to change, and people’s rights will be restored across the country,” she said.

    Earlier in the day, Banerjee visited Egra area of Purba Medinipur district to meet family members of those killed and injured in a blast in an illegal fireworks factory there 11 days ago.

  • After lawmakers come under attack from mobs in strife-torn Manipur, CM appeals for calm

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Lawmakers in restive Manipur have come under attack from mobs for failing to control the situation arising out of the ethnic violence.

    An irate mob attempted to attack the house of Union minister of state for external affairs RK Ranjan Singh in Imphal on Thursday night. However, the security personnel deployed at his residence and in the locality thwarted the attempt by using force. The minister was at home then.

    The incident followed the attack on the house of the state’s PWD minister Konthoujam Govindas in Bishnupur district by a mob on Wednesday night. It ransacked the house and damaged some vehicles.

    In the wake of the incidents, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday appealed to people to maintain peace and not target anyone, including the legislators.

    “I appeal to all not to do any kind of violence on the elected members or anybody anywhere. We, MLAs, are elected by the people. We are for the people. We will do what people want. That is our commitment,” Singh said.

    “Please come to us for anything. We are here 24X7. People can talk to me or my colleagues and share their grievances,” he further said.

    The CM said taking note of the gravity of the situation, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra arrived in the state on Thursday.

    ALSO READ | ‘Nothing is readily available’: Cylinders at Rs 2000, costly petrol singe strife-hit Manipuris

    “They are meeting various civil society organisations to negotiate and bring peace and normalcy,” Singh said.

    Calling upon people to show unity and not division in these difficult times, he said the issues are very complicated and they could be settled only through constitutional provisions and dialogues.

    He appealed to those who looted police weapons to return them as early as possible so they can avoid legal consequences. He warned that paramilitary forces and police commandos would soon launch a combing operation to retrieve the weapons.

    Altogether 1,041 weapons and 7,460 live cartridges were looted by the miscreants from a police establishment after the violence had broken out on May 3. Recently, Singh said 214 weapons and 4,273 bullets were recovered.

    The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that 34,000 personnel of the Army and paramilitary forces are deployed in the state. Singh said the personnel had been fanned out across 38 vulnerable locations in the foothill areas between the Imphal valley and the hills.

    GUWAHATI: Lawmakers in restive Manipur have come under attack from mobs for failing to control the situation arising out of the ethnic violence.

    An irate mob attempted to attack the house of Union minister of state for external affairs RK Ranjan Singh in Imphal on Thursday night. However, the security personnel deployed at his residence and in the locality thwarted the attempt by using force. The minister was at home then.

    The incident followed the attack on the house of the state’s PWD minister Konthoujam Govindas in Bishnupur district by a mob on Wednesday night. It ransacked the house and damaged some vehicles.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In the wake of the incidents, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday appealed to people to maintain peace and not target anyone, including the legislators.

    “I appeal to all not to do any kind of violence on the elected members or anybody anywhere. We, MLAs, are elected by the people. We are for the people. We will do what people want. That is our commitment,” Singh said.

    “Please come to us for anything. We are here 24X7. People can talk to me or my colleagues and share their grievances,” he further said.

    The CM said taking note of the gravity of the situation, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra arrived in the state on Thursday.

    ALSO READ | ‘Nothing is readily available’: Cylinders at Rs 2000, costly petrol singe strife-hit Manipuris

    “They are meeting various civil society organisations to negotiate and bring peace and normalcy,” Singh said.

    Calling upon people to show unity and not division in these difficult times, he said the issues are very complicated and they could be settled only through constitutional provisions and dialogues.

    He appealed to those who looted police weapons to return them as early as possible so they can avoid legal consequences. He warned that paramilitary forces and police commandos would soon launch a combing operation to retrieve the weapons.

    Altogether 1,041 weapons and 7,460 live cartridges were looted by the miscreants from a police establishment after the violence had broken out on May 3. Recently, Singh said 214 weapons and 4,273 bullets were recovered.

    The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that 34,000 personnel of the Army and paramilitary forces are deployed in the state. Singh said the personnel had been fanned out across 38 vulnerable locations in the foothill areas between the Imphal valley and the hills.

  • The myriad hues of Manipur’s internal tussles

    Two weeks after the communal violence between two major ethnic groups in Manipur—the Kukis and the Meiteis—the state, though calmer, remains tense, with as many as 45,000 displaced people still staying at shelters in different places in the state and outside, and the last rites of 73 bodies in various mortuaries yet to be completed.

    Not all displaced people are direct victims of the riots, but villagers on both sides have fled to where they believe is safer. While the Kukis fear raids by organised mobs from the larger Meitei community, Meitei farming villages at the base of the hills remain apprehensive of attacks by Kuki militants, who are in a Suspension of Operation (SoO) truce with the government.

    Under the SoO agreement, there are 25 Kuki militant organisations in two groupings—KNO and UPF. Cadres are allowed to keep their weapons, but only within the confines of designated camps supervised by the Assam Rifles. Each member gets a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000.

    The SoO understanding between Indian security forces and Kuki militants was informally reached in the 1990s, not long after another bout of bloody ethnic clashes between the Nagas and the Kukis—in which the Kukis suffered casualties disproportionately. The state government then was not made party to this, causing some hiccups in the larger counter-insurgency strategy. In 2008, this was solved, with SoO becoming an official tripartite agreement between the Kuki militants, the Centre and the state government. Some had speculated that this was also a counterweight to the influence of Naga and Meitei insurgents.

    Thankfully, Meitei insurgents have stayed away from the present bloodletting. CorCom, a coordination committee they formed, instead came out with a statement which appealed for a return to normalcy, alleging that a gameplan of the Indian government to fragment Manipur’s society is the hidden cause for the present crisis.

    On the other hand, 10 Kuki MLAs, currently outside the state, are demanding a separate administration for the Kukis on the basis that the Kukis cannot live together with the Meiteis again. They have also charged that Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba (both from the Meitei community) masterminded the recent carnage by sponsoring two little-known Meitei organisations—Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun.

    The spark for the May 3 riots came from Churachandpur district, dominated by the Kukis and aligned tribes, when a solidarity rally of Nagas and Kukis to protest a proposal for inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes list turned violent. As the rally was concluding, a rumour that a Kuki war memorial site on the outskirts of Churachandpur township had been burned down by Meiteis—led to a mob rampage. Meitei settlements in and around Torbung, a village in the border area between Churachandpur and Bishnupur, were razed.

    The memorial site is intact but pictures and videos of a tyre found burning near the gate is now available. Only an inquiry can determine if the incineration of the tyre matches the time that it is said to have begun burning.

    When images of the arson attacks started spreading, and there also seemed no sign that the government was making any effort to take control, the violence spread. In Imphal, everything was normal until about 7 pm, before an arson case in the New Lambulane locality was reported. By the next day, the violence spread to several Kuki- and Meitei-dominated districts.

    Why have only the Kukis responded so aggressively and not the Nagas? In the past, there have also been extreme tensions between the Nagas and the Meiteis, like when Thuingaleng Muivah, leader of the powerful Naga insurgent group NSCN(IM), was denied entry into Manipur by the state government—but such incidents did not result in communal riots.

    The answer may lie in certain developments in recent times. One is the revival of an old narrative that the Kukis are nomadic and not indigenous to Manipur. Muivah has said this in several recent public statements as well. Other rivals also added to this, insulting the Kukis indiscriminately with adjectives like “refugees”, “foreigners”, etc., making this an open sore for the latter.

    Kuki villages also have a tendency to proliferate because of a peculiar landholding tradition where village chiefs are sole owners of their villages, inducing capable villagers to leave and set up their own villages. This being so, even government initiatives such as the eviction of encroachers from reserved forests, the fight against Manipur’s new scourge of poppy plantations, or the push for citizenship registration, etc., came to be seen as targeting the Kukis.

    On the other hand, the stated reason for the Meitei demand for ST status is so they are not alienated from their land. They also see injustice in the fact there is no creamy layer clause in the ST reservation system, thereby giving ST colleagues in similar or even higher income brackets a head start in matters of job pursuits and tax savings.

    A skewed land revenue administration system inherited from colonial times—separating revenue flatlands from non-revenue hills—has also pushed the Meiteis against the wall. While everybody can settle in the Imphal Valley, traditionally the Meiteis’ home and which forms 10% of the state’s area, the Meiteis are prohibited from settling in the hills which constitute 90% of the area. As land scarcity is confronted by a burgeoning population, there is an increasing sense of siege amongst these communities. Though it is unlikely they would be eager to settle in the hills even if they were free to do so, the very knowledge that they are prohibited to do so has heightened their claustrophobia.

    Three decades ago, of the 20 hill constituencies in Manipur’s 60-member Assembly, Nagas generally won 12 and Kukis 8. Today it is 10 each. Even a little influx of voters from outside can alter the balance further in these small constituencies. The examples of Kangpokpi, Chandel and Tengnoupal constituencies illustrate the potential for such a future conflict: Kangpokpi, once capable of having Naga, Kuki or even Nepali representatives, has today become a Kuki stronghold. Tengnoupal was once a Naga bastion, but today it has a Kuki representative. Chandel, once under a Naga grip, is now finely balanced between the Nagas and the Kukis.

    Collective insecurities combined to make just the right mix for the storm on May 3. The question remains: what next? If the underlying causes of these troubles remain, there is no guarantee that more explosions like these will not happen in the future.

    Pradip Phanjoubam

    Editor of Imphal Review of Arts and Politics

    ([email protected])

    Two weeks after the communal violence between two major ethnic groups in Manipur—the Kukis and the Meiteis—the state, though calmer, remains tense, with as many as 45,000 displaced people still staying at shelters in different places in the state and outside, and the last rites of 73 bodies in various mortuaries yet to be completed.

    Not all displaced people are direct victims of the riots, but villagers on both sides have fled to where they believe is safer. While the Kukis fear raids by organised mobs from the larger Meitei community, Meitei farming villages at the base of the hills remain apprehensive of attacks by Kuki militants, who are in a Suspension of Operation (SoO) truce with the government.

    Under the SoO agreement, there are 25 Kuki militant organisations in two groupings—KNO and UPF. Cadres are allowed to keep their weapons, but only within the confines of designated camps supervised by the Assam Rifles. Each member gets a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The SoO understanding between Indian security forces and Kuki militants was informally reached in the 1990s, not long after another bout of bloody ethnic clashes between the Nagas and the Kukis—in which the Kukis suffered casualties disproportionately. The state government then was not made party to this, causing some hiccups in the larger counter-insurgency strategy. In 2008, this was solved, with SoO becoming an official tripartite agreement between the Kuki militants, the Centre and the state government. Some had speculated that this was also a counterweight to the influence of Naga and Meitei insurgents.

    Thankfully, Meitei insurgents have stayed away from the present bloodletting. CorCom, a coordination committee they formed, instead came out with a statement which appealed for a return to normalcy, alleging that a gameplan of the Indian government to fragment Manipur’s society is the hidden cause for the present crisis.

    On the other hand, 10 Kuki MLAs, currently outside the state, are demanding a separate administration for the Kukis on the basis that the Kukis cannot live together with the Meiteis again. They have also charged that Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba (both from the Meitei community) masterminded the recent carnage by sponsoring two little-known Meitei organisations—Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun.

    The spark for the May 3 riots came from Churachandpur district, dominated by the Kukis and aligned tribes, when a solidarity rally of Nagas and Kukis to protest a proposal for inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes list turned violent. As the rally was concluding, a rumour that a Kuki war memorial site on the outskirts of Churachandpur township had been burned down by Meiteis—led to a mob rampage. Meitei settlements in and around Torbung, a village in the border area between Churachandpur and Bishnupur, were razed.

    The memorial site is intact but pictures and videos of a tyre found burning near the gate is now available. Only an inquiry can determine if the incineration of the tyre matches the time that it is said to have begun burning.

    When images of the arson attacks started spreading, and there also seemed no sign that the government was making any effort to take control, the violence spread. In Imphal, everything was normal until about 7 pm, before an arson case in the New Lambulane locality was reported. By the next day, the violence spread to several Kuki- and Meitei-dominated districts.

    Why have only the Kukis responded so aggressively and not the Nagas? In the past, there have also been extreme tensions between the Nagas and the Meiteis, like when Thuingaleng Muivah, leader of the powerful Naga insurgent group NSCN(IM), was denied entry into Manipur by the state government—but such incidents did not result in communal riots.

    The answer may lie in certain developments in recent times. One is the revival of an old narrative that the Kukis are nomadic and not indigenous to Manipur. Muivah has said this in several recent public statements as well. Other rivals also added to this, insulting the Kukis indiscriminately with adjectives like “refugees”, “foreigners”, etc., making this an open sore for the latter.

    Kuki villages also have a tendency to proliferate because of a peculiar landholding tradition where village chiefs are sole owners of their villages, inducing capable villagers to leave and set up their own villages. This being so, even government initiatives such as the eviction of encroachers from reserved forests, the fight against Manipur’s new scourge of poppy plantations, or the push for citizenship registration, etc., came to be seen as targeting the Kukis.

    On the other hand, the stated reason for the Meitei demand for ST status is so they are not alienated from their land. They also see injustice in the fact there is no creamy layer clause in the ST reservation system, thereby giving ST colleagues in similar or even higher income brackets a head start in matters of job pursuits and tax savings.

    A skewed land revenue administration system inherited from colonial times—separating revenue flatlands from non-revenue hills—has also pushed the Meiteis against the wall. While everybody can settle in the Imphal Valley, traditionally the Meiteis’ home and which forms 10% of the state’s area, the Meiteis are prohibited from settling in the hills which constitute 90% of the area. As land scarcity is confronted by a burgeoning population, there is an increasing sense of siege amongst these communities. Though it is unlikely they would be eager to settle in the hills even if they were free to do so, the very knowledge that they are prohibited to do so has heightened their claustrophobia.

    Three decades ago, of the 20 hill constituencies in Manipur’s 60-member Assembly, Nagas generally won 12 and Kukis 8. Today it is 10 each. Even a little influx of voters from outside can alter the balance further in these small constituencies. The examples of Kangpokpi, Chandel and Tengnoupal constituencies illustrate the potential for such a future conflict: Kangpokpi, once capable of having Naga, Kuki or even Nepali representatives, has today become a Kuki stronghold. Tengnoupal was once a Naga bastion, but today it has a Kuki representative. Chandel, once under a Naga grip, is now finely balanced between the Nagas and the Kukis.

    Collective insecurities combined to make just the right mix for the storm on May 3. The question remains: what next? If the underlying causes of these troubles remain, there is no guarantee that more explosions like these will not happen in the future.

    Pradip Phanjoubam

    Editor of Imphal Review of Arts and Politics

    ([email protected])