New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday urged the people of Manipur to lift the blockades so that essential items such as food and medicine can reach the violence-hit state. Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah wrote, “My sincerest appeal to the people of Manipur is to lift the blockades at the Imphal-Dimapur, NH-2 Highway, so that food, medicines, Petrol/Diesel, and other necessary items can reach the people. I also request that Civil Society Organisations do the needful in bringing consensus. Together only we can restore normalcy in this beautiful state.”
The Union Minister’s appeal comes amid security adviser to the state government Kuldeep Singh saying that there was no incident of violence in Manipur in the last 24 hours and the state was "completely peaceful".
“Situation in Manipur is completely peaceful. There has been no incident of violence since Friday evening,” Singh, a former DG of the CRPF, told news agency PTI.
In addition to over 140 arms and ammunition that were surrendered on Friday, Singh said that 35 more arms and ammunition have been surrendered.
He further stated that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army have been patrolling in the buffer zones between Manipur's valleys and hills and peace prevails in those areas.
“People have been cooperating fully after the home minister's visit. General public, civil society organisations and prominent citizens are working in close coordination with the administration and helping restore peace,” he said.
According to the security adviser, the curfew was lifted in most of the places for 12 hours and life is returning to normal gradually.
It is to be noted that ethnic violence broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.