Hyderabad: Centre ready for discussions on Manipur violence says G Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad : Requesting the warring groups in Manipur to maintain peace, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said the Central government was ready for talks and to settle the issue. Stating that the Centre was not adamant when it came to people's welfare, Reddy said that it even withdrew three Farm Laws when agriculturists demanded the repeal of the controversial regulations.

Riots broke out in Manipur between the Meitei community, which mainly live in Imphal Valley, and the Naga and Kuki tribes who are inhabitants of the hill districts, over the demand of the former for Scheduled Tribe status. Life started limping back to normalcy under the watchful eyes of army drones and helicopters deployed for aerial reconnaissance as curfew was relaxed on Sunday in parts of Manipur.

"Please come forward to solve the issues in a peaceful manner. The Indian Government is ready. You have seen the farmers' issue. When it was peaceful, we tried to convince them. As the issue was not resolved, we agreed to their demand, and those Bills (three farm laws) were withdrawn. So the Indian Government is not adamant," Reddy told PTI. The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a batch of pleas on the Manipur situation including one by a ruling BJP MLA challenging the high court order on the issue of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community and a PIL by a tribal outfit for an SIT probe into the violence that rocked the northeastern state last week. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narashima and JB Pardiwala is scheduled to hear the matter. The clashes between Meiteis and tribals started in Churachandpur district last Wednesday. The tribals are opposing reservation to the Meiteis following the March 27 Manipur High Court order that asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Meitei community.