Government’s priority to restore peace in Manipur keeping the state united: Amit Shah
- In Reports
- 11:24 PM, Apr 15, 2024
- Myind Staff
On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the BJP-led central government's prime objective is to restore peace in Manipur, which has been plagued by ethnic tensions. He dismissed any notion of dividing the northeastern state.
Speaking at an election rally in Imphal, he also reiterated the Centre's resolve to secure the border with Myanmar to deter unlawful infiltration and terminate the free movement regime (FMR).
“I want to tell people residing in the (Imphal) valley and hills of Manipur that in the coming days Narendra Modi’s priority is to bring peace to the state by talking to all sides and keeping the state united,” Shah said.
"No matter how hard anyone tries, we will not let anyone divide Manipur," he said. The senior BJP leader claimed that attempts of infiltration were being made in the northeastern state to change its demography. “Establishment of peace in Manipur by taking all communities on board and without breaking the state is the priority of the Narendra Modi government," Shah said.
Since May last year, Manipur has been rocked by ethnic clashes between the Meiteis, who hold dominance in the Imphal Valley, and the Kukis, who constitute the majority in certain hill districts. The ongoing violence has claimed 221 lives, with the most recent incident occurring on April 13, when two Kukis lost their lives. Additionally, approximately 50,000 people have been displaced due to the unrest.
The conflict has spurred divisions on the ground, prompting both sides to establish barricades along district borders and prohibit individuals from the opposing community from entering. Since the outbreak of violence, Kuki MLAs, including seven from the ruling BJP, along with other factions, have been advocating for the establishment of a separate administration in areas dominated by them.
“There was no development in Manipur during the past Congress rule. In the past six years, the BJP-led government in the state tried to change that, but one incident of ethnic clashes happened. I want to assure all that in the coming days, we will talk to all sides and establish peace without compromising on the state’s integrity. This is the resolve of the Narendra Modi government,” said Shah.
Shah spoke on the Centre’s decision announced in February this year to seal the India-Myanmar border and scrap the free movement regime (FMR) provision. This provision allowed people living along the border on either side to travel up to 16 km in the other country without a visa and stay up to two weeks.
“There’s a conspiracy to change the demography of a small state like Manipur through infiltration of illegal immigrants (from Myanmar). The government under Narendra Modi has decided to seal the borders with Myanmar to secure Manipur. We have started work on sealing the boundary. FMR was misused for smuggling narcotics. We decided to abolish it,” he said.
Shah accused the previous Congress government at both the Centre and in the state of neglecting Manipur. He underscored the initiatives implemented over the past decade to promote development and foster peace in the region.
“This election is not between the BJP and the Congress, but between those who want to divide Manipur and those who want to keep the state united. The Congress speaks of division wherever it goes. It was responsible for the country getting divided (into India and Pakistan),” he said.
“Even now it speaks of dividing it into north and south India. They formed an agenda in Manipur of dividing the state. I want to reiterate that no one has the guts to divide Manipur and we won’t let it happen,” Shah added.
“The Congress says what will happen by going to small states but these small states are the soul of the country. Congress never honoured Manipur and kept the state under blockade for thousands of days. Not just bandhs, fake encounters were also conducted by the Ibobi Singh government," Shah said.
Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress was the chief minister of the northeastern state between 2012 and 2017 before N Biren Singh of the BJP took charge. "I want to tell this today that our (CM) Biren Singh may not say this, but he kept a big demand before PM Modi - Manipur cannot remain united without the Inner Line Permit (ILP). The BJP government has strengthened Manipur by giving Inner Line Permit." The ILP is a travel document required by people to visit states where it is in force. The ILP regime came into effect in Manipur on January 1, 2020.
The Congress never respected Manipur Maharaja Kulachandra Dhwaja Singh, who was exiled to Andaman Islands by the British, Shah said adding that Narendra Modi honoured him and other freedom fighters of the state by renaming Mt Harriet in the archipelago as Mt. Manipur.
Shah said that efforts by Prime Minister Modi were responsible for ushering in peace in the northeast, a region troubled by insurgency since Independence. He highlighted that over the past few years, more than 10 peace agreements have been reached with insurgent groups in the region, leading to over 9,000 members of these groups surrendering their arms.
Shah reminded as how around 750 people were killed during the ethnic conflict between Nagas and Kukis in Manipur (in 1992), nearly 100 killed in clashes between Meiteis and Pangals (in 1993) and around 350 were killed in conflict between Kukis and Paites in 1997.
In the last six years, no violence has happened in Manipur, he said.
“We will hold talks with those who had done it (violence) and those who were affected," Shah said.
Shah listed what development works the BJP government has done for Manipur, such as national highways and a medical college.
"The amount of funds the Modi government has given for the progress of Manipur is four times that of what the Congress gave,” he said.
He highlighted that during its 10-year rule from 2004 to 2014, the Congress-led government at the Centre provided ₹39,000 crore for Manipur’s development. In contrast, since 2014, the BJP-led government at the Centre has given ₹120,000 crore to the state.
Shah further promised that within the next five years, every individual in Manipur would have access to a fully equipped home, complete with amenities such as toilets, electricity, water connections, and LPG. He appealed to the people to vote for BJP candidates in the Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituencies.
Image source: PTI
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