Shah in Manipur, bid to bring Meiteis, Kukis on talks table

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 29

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has begun his four-day visit in Manipur, arriving in Imphal tonight amid reports of continued ethnic violence in parts of the state even as posters, banners and messages came up in his welcome.

Shun arms, govt to tell warring groups

• The Meitei and Kuki communities will be assured of safety and asked to lay down arms by the government
• Kukis are already in talks with government for a peace deal
• hey have been demanding autonomy in some areas, which will be considered, a Home Ministry source said

Shah held a security review meeting with Chief Minister N Biren Singh, ministers and senior officials. He is slated to meet all stakeholders to assess the situation and take steps to restore normalcy in the state that has witnessed ethnic violence over the past few weeks.

The Home Minister is accompanied by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and other senior officials. He will be in the state till June 1.

The welcoming messages have come from both Meitei and Kuki communities which have been in the news after the recent spate of violence, sources said.

The sources said Shah was likely to bring the warring Meiteis and Kukis together for a discussion over ways to resolve the situation.

“The communities will be assured of safety and asked to lay down arms so that a peaceful atmosphere can be created to resolve issues through talks. Kukis are already in talks with the government for a peace deal. They have been demanding some autonomy in their areas, which will be considered,” an MHA source said.

The visit comes after fresh eruption of violence in the state with two policemen and seven civilians getting killed in encounters yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Army today mobilised its columns to establish multiple mobile vehicle check posts and undertook search operations on a tip-off. In all, 22 miscreants were apprehended and weapons and war-like stores were seized. Five 12 bore double-barrel rifles, three single-barrel rifles, a country-made weapon with double bore and a muzzle-loaded weapon were seized, the Army said.