Govt Committed To Restoring Peace, Ensuring Return Of Displaced People: Amit Shah In Manipur

Amit Shah, who was on a visit to Manipur, said that the government is committed to restoring peace in Manipur and ensuring an early return of all internally displaced people.

Amit Shah said that the government is committed to restore peace in Manipur and ensuring an early return of all internally displaced people back to their homes. ( Image Source :PTI )

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was on a visit to Manipur, on Wednesday said that the government is committed to restoring peace in the state and ensuring an early return of all internally displaced people, as reported by the news agency PTI. Meeting victims from both Meitei and Kuki communities in relief camps in the state, he assured them of security and said the government's focus is to ensure their safe return home. On his third day of a trip to Manipur to broker peace between warring communities, Shah visited Moreh in Tengnoupal district, followed by a tour to Kangpokpi district, and had wide ranging discussions with civil society organisations.

Amit Shah said, "We are committed to restoring peace in Manipur as early as possible and ensuring their (refugees) return to their homes," as quoted by PTI. Former Bharatiya Janata Party chief assured people that the supply of essential items in hill areas and helicopter services for emergency needs in Churachandpur, Moreh and Kangpokpi will be ensured.

Speaking to media after meeting Shah at Raj Bhavan, Advisor of Meitei Council Moreh Ningthoukhongjam Pulendro Singh said "we conveyed to him the need for our resettlement in Moreh and Churachandpur,” as quoted by PTI. "We also asked for help in bringing those Meiteis who fled to Myanmar in the wake of violence in Moreh back to the state," Singh said. The home minister is believed to have assured both a safe return home to all interally displaced persons as also return of those who fled to Myanmar, though officials said the latter may take some time.

Later, the home minister visited a relief camp in Imphal where the members of the Meitei community from hill districts were sheltering. "Our resolve remains focused on leading Manipur back to the track of peace and harmony once again at the earliest," Shah said. The Union Home Minister also held a security review meeting with top officials from central and state forces in Imphal later in the evening.

He directed them to take stern and prompt actions against armed miscreants and recover looted weapons to bring back normalcy at the earliest, the release said. Earlier he had held a similar meeting in Moreh.

"Took stock of the security situation with senior officials in Moreh (Manipur)," Shah tweeted. He was accompanied by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Kumar Deka on the trip. "The union home visited Moreh and Kangpokpi and had wide-ranging discussions with civil society organisations.

"He met the delegation of the hill tribal council, Kuki Students Organisation, Kuki Chiefs Association, Tamil Sangam, Gorkha Samaj and Manipuri Muslim council in Moreh. The delegates expressed strong support for the government's initiatives to restore normalcy in the state," the home ministry said in a statement, as quoted by PTI.

In Kangpokpi, Shah met delegations of civil society organisations such as the Committee on Tribal Unity, Kuki Inpi Manipur, Kuki Student organisation, Thadou Inpi and prominent personalities and intellectuals Meanwhile, earlier in the day Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh appealed to people to surrender weapons looted from security forces and warned of legal action against anyone found to be in unauthorised and illegal possession of arms and ammunition.

In a signed statement, the chief minister also appealed to all concerned in Manipur not to block roads or hinder the free movement of security personnel and relief material, as reported by PTI. Such roadblocks were making it extremely difficult for security and police personnel to respond to attacks by armed groups on time, Singh said.

The home minister is on a four-day visit to Manipur and making efforts to restore peace to the state. On Tuesday, the Meitei and Kuki groups had expressed commitment to peace and assured that they would work for restoring normalcy in the trouble-torn state.

Ethnic clashes broke out in the state nearly a month ago after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. After a relative lull for over a fortnight, the state witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes, and gunfight between militants and security forces on Sunday. So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.