Amit Shah Dials CM Biren Singh, Mary Kom Voices Concern. Why Manipur Is On The Boil

Army and Assam Rifles were requisitioned Wednesday night, and along with the state police, the forces contained the violence by Thursday morning.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and took stock of the situation in the state after law and order was disrupted following rallies by tribal groups that resulted in violence in areas of Churachandpur, Imphal and Kangpokpi.

Even Olympic medal-winning boxer and Rajya Sabha MP Mary Kon voiced concerns and appealed for calm. "My state Manipur is burning, kindly help," the veteran boxer on Thursday tweeted in the early hours.

Urging people to maintain peace, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the violence was the result of "misunderstanding" in the society.

"The state government is taking all steps to maintain the law and order situation and additional para-military forces have been requisitioned to protect the lives and properties of the people," he said.

Army, RAF Deployed To Control Situation In Manipur

55 columns of the Army and Assam Rifles were deployed to contain widespread rioting that broke out across Manipur between tribals and the majority Meitei community, displacing over 9,000 people. The army also kept some 14 columns on standby for deployment in case the situation flared up once again, a defence spokesperson told PTI.

Flag marches were staged in the Khuga, Tampa, and Khomaujanbba areas of Churachandpur by the Army and Assam Rifles. Flag marches were also carried out in Mantripukhri, Lamphel, Koeirangi area of Imphal Valley, and Sugnu in the Kakching district. 

The Centre, which is monitoring the situation in Manipur, has also dispatched teams of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialized force to handle riots, for deployment in violence-hit areas of the Northeastern state.

What Caused Violence In Manipur?

Widespread rioting broke out across Manipur between tribals and the majority Meitei community, according to police reports.

Clashes started on Wednesday after the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) organised a 'Tribal Solidarity March' in protest of the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the non-tribal Meitei community, who account for 53% of the state's population. The march was organised by tribals, who account for around 40% of the state's population.

The march, held in the ten hill districts of the state, turned violent in the Torbung area of the Churachandpur district, with an armed mob allegedly attacking people of the Meitei community. This led to retaliatory attacks in the valley districts, escalating the violence throughout the state.

Police reported that many shops and houses were vandalised and set on fire in Torbung, with the violence lasting for over three hours.

Meitei Community's ST Status Demand

The Meitei community in Manipur has been demanding ST status for several years. The Scheduled Tribes Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has been leading this organized push since 2012. According to the STDCM, the Meitei community has been victimized without any constitutional safeguards due to their exclusion from the ST list. The STDCM claims that the Meitei people have been gradually marginalized in their ancestral land, resulting in a decrease in their population from 59% in 1951 to 44% in 2011, as per census data.

Last month, the Manipur High Court asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Meitei community.