Imphal: So tense and serious is the situation in violence-hit Manipur, that even Chief Minister N Biren Singh doesn’t know what’s happening.
“The initial phase of the violence was highly political and sensitive, but we cannot say what is happening now. The situation is very chaotic,” admitted the Manipur CM while speaking to news agency PTI.
Biren Singh, who met Amit Shah in New Delhi, said the Union Home Minister expressed concern over the changing nature of violence in the northeast state.
“The changing nature of violence from the exchange of fire in the peripheral areas to the civil unrest in the valley districts has become a matter of concern for Amit Shah ji,” the CM said on his return from the national Capital.
Shah’s meeting with Biren Singh took place a day after an all-party meeting which was convened by the Home Minister to seek cooperation from the political parties to help defuse the situation and restore peace in Manipur.
During the four-hour meeting, some parties demanded the immediate sacking of Biren Singh and imposition of President’s rule in the BJP-ruled state.
State police and central security force recently launched a crackdown on bunkers allegedly built by militants in different districts of strife-torn Manipur.
The forces claimed to have destroyed 12 bunkers allegedly constructed by militants in various districts of the strife-torn state.
“Shah raised issues such as attacks on the house of Union Minister (of State for External Affairs) RK Ranjan Singh and residence of state minister Sushindro Meitei, the ongoing arson and destruction of government properties and hampering of movement of security forces,” the CM said, adding that he had submitted a report of the measures taken up by the state government to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
It all started on May 3 when ethnic clashes broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts of Manipur to protest against Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
