Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 4 spoke to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and took stock of the situation after tribal protests turned violent.
According to an official statement, military and paramilitary troops were deployed in the area bordering Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts soon after the clashes broke out.
On May 3, the rally organised in Churachandpur district turned violent when the demonstrators clashed with a group of people in an area bordering the Bishnupur district.
Tribal groups, including Kukis and Nagas, are opposing Scheduled Tribes status for Meitei Manipuris.
The Manipur Government imposed a curfew in most of the districts and suspended mobile internet services in the entire State for five days with immediate effect from May 2, after the mass rally organised by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) turned violent.
Manipur CM Biren Singh has appealed for peace and stated that problems persisted as there was misunderstanding and communication gap between the two communities.
The tribal group supported by Naga groups, including Tangkhul Nagas, was protesting against the demand for inclusion of the State’s Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category following an April 19 Manipur High Court directive. The development has reopened an old ethnic issue in the State between the plain-dwelling Meitei community and the hill tribes – mostly Christians.
Following violent clashes in several parts of Manipur on May 3 night, Chief Minister Biren Singh said the incidents were a result of a “prevailing misunderstanding between two communities”. He urged the people of the State to cooperate with the Government to maintain law and order.
“My humble appeal to everyone in the State to cooperate with the Government in maintaining peace & harmony at this hour,” he tweeted.
“We are committed to protect the lives and property of all our people. Long term grievances of different communities will also be suitably addressed in due course in consultation with the people and their representatives,” Chief Minister Biren Singh said in a video statement issued on May 4.
After protest by tribal group turns violent, Army carries out flag marches.
Following the violence, the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles on May 3 carried out a flag march in the violence-hit areas.
Assam Rifles undertook major rescue operations to evacuate more than 7,500 civilians of all communities relentlessly throughout the night to restore law & order in Manipur.
According to a statement released by the Army, military and paramilitary troops were deployed in the area bordering Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts soon after the clashes broke out. Efforts are being made to evacuate affected people and restore law and order, the statement said.
The Manipur violence and Nagas of Manipur backing the anti-Meitei stir has its implications in Nagaland as well.
The crux of the debate in the context of Nagaland State is that the demand is being vehemently opposed by Nagas and Kukis. Nagas of Manipur share ethnic affinity, and the militant group NSCN-IM was earlier keen for the unification of all Naga contiguous areas.
The efforts of the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur are being supported by different tribal bodies, including the Naga Students Union Chandel, Sadar Hills Tribal Union on Land and Forests, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong and Tribal Churches Leaders Forum. There is a need for “taking appropriate measures” to collectively protect the tribal interests, says ATSUM.
Whether Meiteis get their demand fulfilled could be debated some other day, but as of now and ‘a pragmatic’ standpoint is that the Nagas of Manipur State are also at crossroads. They should have been more involved and engaged with the demand and issues vis-a-vis ‘Nagalim’ and ideally left the issues of Quota or tribal status to Meiteis and the State of Manipur.
But as we often realise, the reality is different. They can ill afford to ignore what can hit them immediately. Analysts in Delhi do not miss these episodes and, as expected, are taking a closer view of things.
“We will not be surprised if the Naga Students bodies and other organisations from Nagaland State also join the issue directly and indirectly,” says a source keeping a close watch on things unfolding.
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