Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday visited Churachandpur, the epicentre of the ethnic violence which broke out in Manipur on May 3, to hold talks with Kuki civil society leaders. Shah flew down in a helicopter and was accompanied by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Kumar Deka.
The union home minister is meeting church leaders as well as intellectuals from the Kuki community to understand their grievances and find ways to bring peace to the northeastern state which has witnessed a series of clashes between Meiteis and Kukis.
He also held consultations with stakeholders starting with a breakfast meeting with a group of women leaders. In a tweet, he said, “Held a meeting with a group of women leaders (Meira Paibi) in Manipur. Reiterated the significance of the role of women in the society of Manipur. Together, we are committed to ensuring peace and prosperity in the state.”
The BJP-led government in the state on Tuesday announced that it will provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to those who died during the ethnic conflict in Manipur, as well as a member of the family will also be provided a job. The amount be borne by the Centre and the state.
Manipur has been hit by ethnic conflict for nearly a month and witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes and firing between militants and security forces on Sunday, after a relative lull for over a fortnight. The death toll so far has risen to 80.
Shah flew down to capital Imphal on Monday night for a four-day visit to the violence-hit state.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday said on the sidelines of a function in Pune, that challenges in Manipur have not disappeared, and the situation in the north-east state was a law and order situation, and nothing todo with counter-insurgency.
“We are helping the state government with the problem. I would like to say that the armed forces and Assam Rifles have done an excellent job there and may have saved a large number of lives. Though the challenges in Manipur have not disappeared, it will take some time. Hopefully this will settle and the government there will be able to do the job with the help of CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) etc,” he said.