Violence in Manipur

neerajsingh18

Jun 18

Violence in Manipur

The atmosphere has been tense for the past three nights in Imphal where clashes between the state's Rapid Action Force (RAF) and a mob had torched a warehouse belonging to a retired IAS officer from the tribal community. Even several kinds of attempts had been continued through the night.

An ethnic clash had been erupted in May 2023 in India's north-eastern state of Manipur between a majority that lives in the Imphal Valley called the 'Meitei people' and the tribal community from the surrounding hills.

Fire at state cabinet minister's headquartering:

BJP MLA and state cabinet minister Nemcha Kipgen's official quarters were set on fire in Imphal West by gathered crowd.

Fire at residence of Union Minister:

On Thursday night, Union MoS for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh's residence in Imphal East district had also been fired by protesting crowd.

Background of the violence:

The violence has been broken out in Manipur due to the dispute over a long-standing demand by the Meitei people for a Scheduled Tribe status under the Indian Constitution. This demand would give them privileges comparable to the tribal communities.

In April, a Manipur High Court verdict ordered the state government to decide over the issue preferably within four weeks. The tribal communities are against the Meitei's demand.

The All Tribal Student Union of Manipur (ATSUM) carried a solidarity march in all hill districts on 3 May. By the end of March, clashes broke out between the Meitei and Kuki populations in and around the Churachandpur district bordering the Imphal Valley.

To prevent the situation the Indian Army deployed around 10,000 troops and paramilitary forces are also side by to restore law and order. Internet services in the state were debarred for a period of five days and Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code was invoked.

The Indian troops were given "shoot on sight" orders to enforce the curfew in "extreme cases".