Government doing all it can to contain Manipur trouble: Kiren Rijiju

New Delhi: The Indian government is taking all necessary steps to restore order in the violence-hit Manipur, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday.

The Union Home Minister himself was monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps, the minister told reporters at the sideline of an event. "Communal violence between two communities is a very unfortunate incident. Many lives have been lost and there is damage to property. Whether Meiteis or Kukis both belong to the same state and need to live together," Rijiju said and called for dialogue. "The entire north east is witnessing fast development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Violence must not be allowed to dent it. Such incidents impact the future of the people and harm the youth and women the most," said the minister who belongs to Arunachal Pradesh. "Peace is required to take forward development of the beautiful north east. ... Society can progress only when there is peace," he said, and urged people to support the deployment of forces ordered by the home ministry. Manipur was struck by violent confrontations when members of Kuki tribe and majority Meitei community clashed with each other on Wednesday resulting in several deaths and displacement of thousands of people. According to the latest count, the confrontation had taken 54 lives.

Clashes between the two communities began after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised in the ten hill districts of Manipur to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of the state population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and live mostly in the hill districts.