Manipur violence: Supreme Court asks state govt to file updated status report; hearing on next Monday

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, July 3

Amid allegations of escalation in ethnic violence in Manipur, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the state government to file a detailed updated status report on relief, rehabilitation and recovery of arms from armed groups even as the state government asserted the situation was improving slowly.

On behalf of the tribal groups, senior counsel Colin Gonsalves told a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud that he had filed a status report giving details of killings per village and alleged that violence had accelerated. Despite two assurances given by the government, killings had gone up from 10-20 to 110 and it’s escalating and one beheading had also taken place, he alleged.

Gonsalves said some people were giving TV interviews that they would annihilate the Kukis. “As long as these armed groups are not disbanded, it will escalate. Last night, three tribal people were killed and one beheaded… first beheading,” he alleged.

As Gonsalves alleged that the Meiteis were killing the Kukis, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested him not to give it a communal angle. “My learned friend may not give this a communal angle…like Christians or something. Real human beings are being dealt with,” the Solicitor General said.

On behalf of the government, Mehta said the situation was improving slowly and curfew had now been reduced to only five hours. Apart from civil police and Manipur Rifles, 114 companies of CAPF, 114 columns of Army had been deployed, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Bench.

A counsel representing the International Meitei Organisation requested the top court to direct the Centre to have a headcount of militants who have entered into a ceasefire agreement with the government. “Otherwise how will we explain those assault weapons? This is one aspect the Union of India has to address,” he submitted.

As the Bench asked Mehta to take instructions on this aspect as well, the Solicitor General said there could not be a headcount of militants.

Asking the Manipur government to file a detailed updated status report on relief, rehabilitation and recovery of arms from armed groups, the top court posted the matter for July 10.

On May 17, the top court had directed the Manipur government to take necessary measures to instil confidence among people of the ethnic violence-hit state and to ensure “peace and tranquillity”.

While hearing petitions on ethnic violence on the issue of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community, it had asserted that the highest court of the land would ensure that the political executive didn’t turn a blind eye to the situation.

Last month, the Manipur Tribal Forum had moved the top court, accusing the Centre and the state chief minister of pursuing a communal agenda aimed at “ethnic cleansing” of Kukis in the state.