Amit Shah to visit violence-hit Manipur, calls for ‘peace and dialogue’
Amit Shah on Thursday announced that he will be visiting violence-hit Manipur soon and appealed for peace in the northeastern state.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced that he will be visiting violence-hit Manipur soon and appealed for peace in the northeastern state. Addressing a rally in Guwahati, the union minister said that he will stay in Manipur for three days and talk to the people of the state to “establish peace”.
Also read: Manipur sees fresh incident of violence, minister's house vandalised
“There were clashes in Manipur after the verdict of a court. I would appeal to both groups they should maintain peace. The Centre will ensure that justice is given to all who suffered in the clashes which broke out in the state, but people must hold a dialogue to ensure peace in the state,” Amit Shah said.
Shah's comments came as one person was killed and another was injured in fresh violence in strife-torn Manipur earlier in the day. According to reports, suspected militants opened fire at a group of people - mostly comprising those who were displaced during the recent ethnic clashes in Churachandpur and took shelter in a relief camp at Moirang in Bishnupur.
Tensions have prevailed in Manipur since May 3 after an interethnic violence erupted during a solidarity march called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in protest against an April 19 Manipur high court order directing the state government to consider giving Centre Scheduled Caste (ST) reservation to the Meitei community.
Also read: Meiteis, Kukis keep moving to safer areas as tensions persist in Manipur
At least 70 people have been killed in the violence so far, with over thousands of people being displaced. Around 2,000 houses were also burned down across the state, reported AFP.
The military has deployed thousands of troops to the state - where curfews have been imposed and the internet has been cut for several weeks. Meanwhile, in view of the fresh violence, an indefinite curfew has been reimposed on Wednesday in the flashpoint Bishnupur district.
(With inputs from agencies)