Fresh clashes in Manipur ahead of Amit Shah’s visit; two killed

New Delhi: At least two people were killed and 12 injured in separate incidents of firing on civilians and clashes between militants and security forces in Manipur. Police officials gave this information on Sunday. The latest clashes, a day before Union Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the northeastern state, began after the army launched a search operation to arm communities in a bid to restore peace, officials said.

Speaking to reporters after the clashes broke out, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday said around 40 armed terrorists involved in setting houses on fire and firing on civilians have been killed by security forces as they tried to bring peace to the northeastern state. A campaign was started for Caste riots. He also said that there have been cases of armed terrorists firing on civilians with AK-47, M-16 and sniper rifles.

Singh appealed to the public not to obstruct the movement of security personnel and urged them to “have faith in the government and support the security forces”.

“We have experienced hardship for so long and we will never allow the state to disintegrate,” he said.

Meanwhile, Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to Manipur on Monday to make an on-the-spot study of the situation to find a solution to the ongoing caste conflicts.

Caste clashes, which have so far claimed over 75 lives in Manipur, flared up after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Got up The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserved forest land, which led to several smaller agitations.

Around 140 columns of the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel besides personnel of other paramilitary forces, were deployed and mobile internet suspended to bring back normalcy in the northeastern state.

Congress targets PM Modi after fresh violence in Manipur

The Congress on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recent violence in Manipur, saying a “horrible tragedy is unfolding” there while the prime minister is obsessed with his “own coronation”.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh indirectly said, “It is a horrific tragedy unfolding while the Prime Minister is paranoid about his self-coronation. Not a single appeal for peace issued by him nor trust between communities There has been no real effort to rebuild.” With reference to the inauguration of the new Parliament House by Modi.

He also said that after 25 days of Manipur burning, things took a turn for the worse on the eve of Amit Shah’s long-awaited visit to Imphal.

“Despite the imposition of Article 355, there is a complete breakdown of law and order and administration in the state,” he said on Twitter.

Ramesh said a delegation led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge would meet President Draupadi Murmu on Tuesday regarding the situation in the state.

25 days after Manipur was on fire, the situation has turned from bad to worse on the eve of the much-awaited visit of the Union Home Minister to Imphal. Despite the implementation of Article 355, law and order and administration in the state have completely collapsed.

Its… – Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 28, 2023