Union Home Minister Amit Shah, responding to a debate, said that the Centre has taken every possible measure to bring back normalcy in the restive Northeastern state.
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. Even though members across party lines supported the decision, they slammed the BJP-ruled Centre for the situation in Manipur. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, responding to a debate, said that the government has taken every possible measure to bring back normalcy in the restive Northeastern state.
“For the past four months, there has been no violence in Manipur. I will not say the situation in Manipur is satisfactory, but it is under control. Congress does not have that many MPs that they will move a no-confidence motion,” Shah said.
He also added that talks were held with both Meitei and Kuki communities for a peaceful resolution. “By and large the situation is peaceful. As long as people are in camps, I would not say the situation is satisfactory. The government is taking all possible steps to restore peace in Manipur,” Shah said.
Manipur violence has seen the death of 260 people
Amit Shah said that so far at least 260 people have been killed in the ethnic clashes that have gripped the state for quite some time now. He also highlighted that the ethnic riots had begun here after an order passed by the state’s High Court.
“The day the order came, we sent the central forces by air. There was no delay on our part (in taking action),” he said. The Union Minister said that he did not want to draw a parallel between the clashes that had taken place in Manipur during the tenure of the previous governments, however informed the Lok Sabha that the riots between the Naga and Kuki groups continued for five years during the 1990s.
“Sporadic violence continued for a decade were 750 people lost their lives. There were Kuki-Paite clashes in 1997-98 when 352 people were killed. In the Meitei-Pangal clashes in the 1990s, over 100 people died. Neither the then prime minister nor the then home minister visited Manipur,” he said.
Riots in Manipur had broken out after a Tribal Solidarity March.
(With agency inputs)
