Unprecedented security measures in Imphal, MHA officials hold meetings with several groups

Imphal: Unprecedented security measures have been taken and a huge contingent of state and central para-military forces deployed in and around the Kangla Fort in Imphal after a local group called all the ministers and MLAs to attend a meeting on Wednesday to clear their position about the unabated incidents of violence in Manipur.

The local organisations called the meeting after the militants, in their stepped-up attacks in the last couple of days, killed many persons, including two Manipur Police commandos, four villagers and a village defence volunteer.

A three-member Central team led by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Advisor, A.K. Mishra arrived in Manipur on Monday evening and held meetings with the government officials, leaders of various organisations, and elected representatives.

Officials said that Mishra, accompanied by two Joint Directors, Intelligence Bureau, Mandeep Singh Tuli and Rajesh Kumble, immediately after their arrival on Monday evening, held a series of meetings with the government officials and leaders of various organisations and elected leaders.

These meetings also continued on Tuesday.

"The MHA team is likely to visit some tribal areas during their stay in Manipur to hold meetings with tribal bodies, civil society organisations and leaders," an official told IANS, but refused to disclose the details of the meetings held since Monday evening.

The team reportedly met leading local organisation ‘Arambai Tenggol’ leaders at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba.

BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is the son-in-law of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in his post on the X on Tuesday said : "State Government decided to reinforce more state forces in the foothills and other vulnerable areas.

"These are being done through inputs from the people of the areas and their respective legislators. We have recently witnessed civilians getting killed despite the presence of certain para military forces. Legislators have also moved the Central Government to replace such forces."

Meanwhile, 34 MLAs, mostly of the ruling BJP along with seven Naga legislators, have urged the Central government to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the armed militant outfits, otherwise the legislators would take “appropriate action” in consultation with the people.

The 34 MLAs, in a meeting on Sunday, took a unanimous resolution requesting the Central government to abrogate the SoO, signed between the Central and state governments and 23 Kuki militant outfits in 2008.

"If Government of India is unable to take any positive action as per the resolution, we the legislators will take appropriate action in consultation with the public," said the resolution, accessed by IANS.

Also, on Sunday, ten like-minded parties' bloc in Manipur led by the Congress also urged the Chief Minister to arrange an all party meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss ways and means to resolve the nine month-long ethnic violence in the northeastern state.

Manipur has witnessed unprecedented violent clashes, attacks, counter-attacks, and burning of vehicles and government and private properties in 10 of the 16 districts during and after May 3 'Tribal Solidarity March' called by the All-Tribal Students' Union of Manipur to oppose the demand for inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category.

In the ethnic violence between the non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki-Zo communities, over 190 people have been killed and over 1,500 people injured while over 70,000 people of both communities displaced.