Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, held a series of meetings in Imphal on Saturday with his Manipur counterpart, N. Biren Singh, and various other organizations and civil society groups to address the ongoing ethnic violence in the state. The violence, which began on May 3, has claimed the lives of at least 105 people and left over 320 injured.
Sarma’s visit to Manipur took place nine days after Home Minister Amit Shah’s four-day visit to the troubled northeastern state. During his visit, Sarma engaged in discussions with Biren Singh, several Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and organizations in an effort to quell the tensions between different ethnic communities.
Meanwhile, in light of sporadic incidents of violence, the Manipur government has extended the suspension of internet services for the eighth time until June 15. The measure aims to prevent the spread of rumors, videos, photos, and messages that could potentially disrupt law and order in the region.
Various Kuki tribal organizations continue to block the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Manipur, causing significant challenges in the transportation of essential supplies, food grains, transportation fuel, and life-saving drugs. While the state government has made efforts, with security escorts, to transport essential goods via the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (which passes through southern Assam), NH-2 (via Nagaland) is considered Manipur’s lifeline.
Sarma, who also serves as the Convenor of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), arrived in Manipur on Saturday for a day-long visit. Upon arrival, he proceeded to the Chief Minister’s secretariat in Imphal, where he held a closed-door meeting with Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, ministers, and officials. Subsequently, he met with leaders from various Civil Society Organizations, as well as MLAs and key figures, at a hotel.
Political analysts suggest that Sarma, known for his close association with the Union Home Minister, carried a message from Delhi to explore a solution to the ethnic violence by involving all stakeholders. There have been reports that Amit Shah might revisit Manipur to address the violence and restore peace and normalcy.
Additionally, the Central government announced the formation of a Peace Committee, chaired by Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, to facilitate the restoration of normalcy. The committee will include Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh, state ministers, MPs, MLAs, leaders from political parties, former civil servants, educationists, writers, artists, social workers, and representatives from different ethnic groups. The committee’s mandate is to foster peaceful dialogue, negotiations, and social cohesiveness among the various ethnic communities in the state.
On June 1, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a press conference in Manipur, disclosed the establishment of a Peace Committee under Governor Uikey’s leadership. The committee will include representatives from all political parties, as well as ethnic communities and social organizations. Shah had visited Manipur from May 29 to June 1.
Meanwhile, a three-member Commission of Inquiry, appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on June 4, has arrived in Imphal to investigate the violence. The commission, headed by former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, will commence its probe shortly. The MHA has instructed the commission to submit its report to the Central government as soon as possible, with a deadline of no later than six months from the date of its first sitting. The other two members of the commission are former IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.