Guwahati/New Delhi
In his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah late on Thursday, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh briefed him about the prevailing situation in the strife-torn State, the steps taken to bring back normalcy and sought Central assistance for rebuilding the houses of the victims who are currently being put up in prefabricated houses.
Manipur’s present political situation, with the Kuki and Meitei MLAs clearly divided, was also discussed at the meeting. While the Kuki MLAs have demanded a separate administration for the community, their Meiteis have opposed any such grant.
Singh’s meeting with Shah came ahead of the one-day Monsoon session of the Manipur assembly on August 29. The State cabinet had to recommend the date for convening the assembly session for the second time after the House could not meet on August 21 as no notification was issued by the Raj Bhavan despite the cabinet’s earlier recommendation.
Ten Kuki MLAs, including those belonging to the ruling BJP, had expressed their inability to attend the assembly session as the ethnic violence in the state continued. Naga MLAs had also said they would not be attending the session as they felt Naga peace talks were being hindered by the State government.
Sources said the Manipur CM, who was accompanied by three of his Cabinet Ministers, apprised the Home Minister about the 400 prefabricated huts built to provide shelter to those who lost their homes in the violence and emphasised the need to start rebuilding the destroyed homes as a confidence-building measure. Thousands of houses belonging to members of both the communities have been gutted and destroyed in the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3.
Reviewing the security scenario, Shah is said to have directed the Manipur CM to ensure the buffer zone of security forces keeping the two communities away from any confrontation needs to be maintained at all costs.
The Centre will move around 40-50 additional companies of forces that are presently engaged for securing the Amarnath Yatra to Manipur once the Yatra gets over on August 31.
Prior to heading to Delhi, Singh told reporters in Imphal that he was going to take the advice of the Union Home Minister. The duo is also said to have discussed the upcoming Assembly session on August 29, when the Opposition would try to corner the Government.
Singh said what is happening in Manipur today was all created by Congress. “Politics should not be done over human lives. What is happening under Congress rule in Rajasthan? In West Bengal? In Delhi,” he asked.
