Revealed: Modi govt’s master stroke to quell rising tensions in Manipur
In a glimmer of hope amid the turmoil in Manipur, government sources project a resolution in sight for the ongoing crisis. The law and order situation in the northeastern state is improving, thanks to the deployment of a substantial force of nearly 35,000 security personnel. This impressive move by the central government is heralding a return to relative peace, according to a report by Republic World.
Bolstering the progress towards tranquillity, the Centre has been actively involved in conducting numerous rounds of dialogues with members of the Kuki and Meitei communities. News agency ANI, citing its government sources, reports that six rounds of discussions have been held with each community in a bid to restore peace.
An additional initiative by the central government, aimed at defusing ethnic tensions, is the recent filing of an affidavit before the Supreme Court. This motion seeks the transfer of the case regarding the sexual assault on women in Manipur to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Representatives from the conflicting communities – Kuki and Metei – have been part of the peace talks to resolve disputes over the ST category status. Concurrently, a separate round of discussions has been held with the Meitei community representatives, namely, the Coordinating Committee for Manipur Integrity (COCOMI).
Modi government optimistic about resolving Manipur crisis: 35,000 security personnel deployed. Photo courtesy of Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India/Wikimedia Commons.
The government’s focus is to find solutions that will quell the violent conflict between the groups, which has been raging since early May this year. Notably, Home Minister Amit Shah is overseeing the talks, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regularly receiving updates, usually every three hours.
As Manipur grapples with violence, an Opposition delegation of over 20 Members of Parliament from the I.N.D.I.A alliance plans to visit the state on July 29 and 30. This decision follows parliamentary uproar over the ethnic clashes and a disturbing viral video. The delegation, led by Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore, intends to assess the situation in violence-afflicted Manipur. They remain determined to visit despite multiple denials of permission due to the state’s volatile circumstances.