Amit Shah Defends Manipur CM in Lok Sabha, Calls Him Cooperative

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday spoke about Manipur violence in the Parliament and defended Chief Minister N Biren Singh saying that a CM should be only changed when he is not co-operating.

"A state CM needs to be changed when he is not cooperating. This CM is operated with the Centre," he said in the Lok Sabha during his speech on the no-confidence motion which has been brought by the Opposition parties.

The Manipur violence which broke out on May 3 has killed over 150 people, so far. The Opposition parties have demanded Biren Singh's resignation. However, Shah slammed the Opposition parties for doing politics on the issue.

"I agree with the opposition's claim that there has been excessive violence in Manipur. In fact, we are more hurt than them (opposition). Such incidents have happened there that we should be ashamed as a society. However, while the incidents are shameful, doing politics on it is even more shameful", Hindustan Times quoted Shah as saying.

He then attacked Rahul Gandhi over his visit to trouble-hit Manipur. "Rahul Gandhi went to Manipur out of concern over the situation. After coming out of the airport, he said he wanted to visit Churachandpur. We suggested him to travel in a helicopter. Gandhi insisted on travelling by road. The police had to stop him. Rahul Gandhi staged a drama for three hours. The next day, he went there by a helicopter. He should have taken a chopper earlier", Shah added.

Talking about the May 4 incident where two women were paraded naked by a mob, the Union Home Minister said that it was a "blot on the society".

"This is a very unfortunate incident and it is a shame for society. But why did this video (Manipur viral video) come before the start of this Parliament session? If someone was having this video they should have given it to the DGP, and action would have been taken on that day itself (May 4)...We have identified all those nine people and arrested them", the minister claimed.

He also appealed to the warring communities to engage in dialogue and said that violence is not a solution. Shah also claimed that he was ready to talk in the Parliament on the Manipur issue, but the Opposition parties prevented him from speaking.

"From day one I was ready for the discussion on the Manipur issue but Opposition never wanted to do a discussion. The opposition doesn't want me to speak but they can't silence me. 130 cr people have selected us so they have to listen to us...During the past six years of our government, the need for curfew never rose," the Home Minister stated.

The Home Minister said problems started in Manipur with the influx of Kuki refugees from neighbouring Myanmar after the military rulers there started a crackdown against militants in 2021. The Kuki refugees started settling down in the jungles in the Manipur valley, raising fears of a demographic change in the region, Shah said.

The unrest in the Manipur valley began when rumours began to circulate that the refugee settlements have been declared as villages, Shah said. He said the Manipur High Court order to fast-track the process for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes added fuel to the fire.

Shah said the violence that broke out on May 3 has been continuing to date and the Centre has established a peace committee as part of efforts to restore normalcy in the state. "Over 36,000 security personnel have been stationed between Kukis and Meiteis as a buffer zone. The anger has not subsided yet, but violence has reduced.

"A unified command has been created to coordinate between BSF, CRPF, Assam Rifles and Manipur police deployed there. Six cases of conspiracy have been handed over to the CBI," Shah said.