Shah in Manipur, meets women leaders, prominent people, civil society

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday (May 30) morning had consultations with various stake-holders in Imphal, which started with a breakfast meeting with a group of women leaders and a separate meeting with prominent personalities as part of the Centre’s efforts to bring normalcy in Manipur.

Shah, who is on a four-day visit of Manipur, also held another meeting with a delegation of civil society organisations as part of his outreach. The civil society expressed their commitment to peace and assured that they would work for restoring normalcy to the violence-hit state.

“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,” Shah tweeted. Shah, in another tweet, said. “Had a fruitful discussion with the members of the different Civil Society Organisations today in Imphal. They expressed their commitment to peace and assured that we would together contribute to paving the way to restore normalcy in Manipur.”

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According to a home ministry spokesperson, prominent personalities in the meeting assured the home minister of their commitment to peace and promised him that they would work towards restoring peace in the state. After his arrival in Imphal the previous night, Shah met Chief Minister N Biren Singh, some cabinet ministers, officials and a few political leaders.

Shah will also hold several rounds of meetings to assess security situation and plan further steps to restore normalcy, sources said. The home minister is visiting the northeastern state the first time after the ethnic clashes began in Manipur on May 3. The state 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 from clashes has gone up to 80, officials said.

The ethnic violence first broke out after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

(With agency inputs)