Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking to Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) secretary Muan Tombing, promised a CBI probe into the violence broke out in Manipur along with a judicial injury, reported Times of India while adding further that Shah requested the Kuki people to maintain peace. He assured the probe to take place within the next 15 days.
Amit Shah's visit to Manipur
Shah is on a visit to Manipur this Wednesday. During his visit to the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, he is scheduled to meet Kuki civil society groups, besides reviewing the security measures in place.
The BJP leader and minister, who flew into Imphal on Monday night, will visit Kangpokpi district in the afternoon, and will meet various groups there as well, according to reports. Meanwhile, incidents of gunfight between militants and security forces were reported from Sugnu in Kakching district overnight.
Manipur violence
Ethnic clashes broke out in the state nearly a month ago after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. After a relative lull for over a fortnight, the state witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes, and gunfight between militants and security forces on Sunday. So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.
Reason behind the clashes
It is believed that two issues in the state are believed to have led to the prevailing situation.
First, CM Biren Singh's move to protect the forest faces resistance from illegal immigrants and drug cartels, and the second is linked to the Manipur High Court's recent direction to the state government to consider the inclusion of Meitei in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs), which led to an outburst from the tribal communities which are already on the scheduled list.
Violence broke out during the 'Tribal Solidarity March' called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the Torbung area of Churachandpur district to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis, who dominate the Imphal Valley, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
