Amit Shah visiting Manipur after 26 days of violence, nothing but 'drama': Manipur Congress chief

Reacting to the compensation package announced by the Centre in violence-torn Manipur where peace is nowhere in sight despite heavy deployment of the forces, chief of the Manipur Congress Committee, Keisham Meghachandra Singh dismissed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state as "drama" and called the compensation an "eyewash".

The Centre has announced Rupees 10 lakh compensation for families of those killed in ethnic clashes in Manipur on Tuesday as Shah toured Churachandpur district – the epicentre of the ethnic clashes between Kukis and Meities.

Talking to National Herald, Meghachandra who was part of the delegation that met President Droupadi Murmu earlier in the day to apprise her about the situation on the ground, said, “Until peace is restored, any visit by any minister or even PM is futile.”

Opining that the trust deficit between the Kukis and the Meities has deepened further after May 3 violence, Meghachandra said that the Centre should come up with a policy, instead providing temporary solutions, to restore peace in the state.

 “Why has the Centre taken so much time to react? Manipur is a small state with a population of less than 37 lakh. Had the Centre intervened in time, the situation would have been returned to normalcy by now,” he said.

The Centre and the BJP government in the state, both allowed the situation to go out of hand, added Meghachandra. “Even today as Amit Shah is visiting the state, people called me to report that Kuki militants have attacked them,” said Meghachandra who believes Kuki militants from Myanmar have crossed the border with the sophisticated weapons to unleash violence and kill Meitie.

A delegation of the Congress party led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge met the president earlier in the day and handed over a memorandum to her seeking urgent intervention.

“There were several lapses in the management of the situation at the early stages of violence,” noted the Congress. Demanding a high-level inquiry, headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge, the Congress has suggested that :

• Central government should immediately take all possible measures to control and confine all militant groups 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.

 Attacking Biren Singh government for poor distribution of the relief material, Meghachandra said, “The Congress, as a responsible opposition party is ready to lend support to any initiative to restore peace, normalcy and harmony in Manipur”.

It is important to recall here, that as per an estimate, over 75 people have died in ethnic clashes so far in Manipur after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was held on May 3.

The solidarity march was organised to oppose the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

After a brief halt, fresh violence erupted again on May 28 in several parts of Manipur after alleged Kuki militants carrying sophisticated weapons set fire to many houses in Serou and Sugunu areas.