Imphal/New Delhi
Six days since Manipur got engulfed in widespread violence, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday dished out figures that portrayed its intensity and ambit.
“Around 60 innocent people have lost their lives, 231 people suffered injuries and around 1700 houses burnt down in the unfortunate incident of May 3. The State has so far evacuated 20,000 people, while 10,000 remain stranded. I appeal to people to bring peace and calm to the state. Transportation of stranded persons to their respective locations has started,” Biren Singh said.
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been monitoring the situation from the day of the incident till today. He has sent many companies of central forces,” Singh said.
His appeal came in even as the Supreme Court expressed concern over the loss of lives and properties and asked the Centre and the Manipur government to take necessary steps for raising security and relief and rehabilitation efforts for those hit by ethnic violence in the north-eastern state.
Its directions came after it took note of the Centre’s submissions that no untoward incidents have been reported in Manipur in the last two days when the curfews were relaxed.
Terming the aftermath of the violence “humanitarian issues”, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud emphasised that due arrangements must be made in the relief camps and the people sheltered there be provided with basic amenities like food, ration and medical facilities. “We are concerned very deeply about the loss of lives and properties,” the Supreme Court observed.
The bench, also comprising Justices PS Narashima and JB Pardiwala, heard 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 (ST) status to the Meitei community, as well as a PIL by a tribal outfit for an SIT probe into the violence that rocked the northeastern state last Wednesday.
The Indian Army said, “Large number of persons of all communities evacuated to safer areas. Out of approx 23000 internally displaced persons, 9,500 are from Meitei community while 10,000 belong to Kuki community. Persons from both communities are staying in harmony within the safe confines of Army & Assam Rifles Company Operating Base camps after being rescued.”
The unrest in Manipur erupted on May 3 after a protest march organised by the Kuki and Naga tribes, constituting 40 percent of the population and living mostly in the hill districts, sparked clashes with the non-tribal Meitei community, which accounts for 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and lives mostly in the Imphal valley.
The Tribal Solidarity March was called to oppose the recent Manipur High Court order, which asked the State government to send a recommendation to the Centre regarding the demand to include the majority and predominantly Hindu Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.
