In Key Security Meet, Amit Shah Says Centre Will Talk To Meiteis, Kukis In Manipur

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a critical meeting on Monday to assess the security situation in Manipur, which has been affected by ethnic violence since more than a year. The meeting involved top security officials who provided a detailed briefing on the current conditions in the state.

During the meeting, Shah stressed on the importance of dialogue between the Meitei and Kuki communities to address the ethnic divide. He assured that the Home Ministry would engage with both groups to facilitate reconciliation.

"Home Ministry will talk to both the groups, Meiteis and Kukis, so as to bridge the ethnic divide, at the earliest," Shah reportedly said.

The Home Ministry released a statement affirming the Centre's commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens in Manipur. Shah instructed officials to take strict legal actions against those inciting violence and to consider increasing the deployment of central forces to maintain peace.

Shah also reviewed the conditions in relief camps and directed authorities to ensure the availability of essential supplies such as food, water, and medicines. He also emphasised the need for adequate health and education facilities for displaced individuals and their rehabilitation.

This meeting is the first action by the Centre concerning Manipur's situation since the NDA led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was re-elected earlier this month. The meeting followed a report by Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to Shah regarding the state's law and order situation.

Notably, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh did not attend the meeting.

The violence in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, following a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts protesting the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Since then, over 220 individuals from both Kuki and Meitei communities, including security personnel, have lost their lives in the unrest.