Guwahati: In light of the severe violence in Manipur, a delegation comprising 14 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the state reportedly met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Guwahati on the night of May 25 and May 26 to apprise him of the prevailing situation.
According to a report, the meeting, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, took place at Guwahati’s Koinadhara Guest House No 1.
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The delegation, headed by Speaker Th Satyabrata, included ministers Awangbou Newmai, Sapam Ranjan Singh, H Dingo, and Sushindro Yaima.
It was an all-party team consisting of 10 BJP MLAs, two MLAs from the National People’s Party (NPP), and two MLAs from the Naga People’s Front (NPF).
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During the meeting, the MLAs raised several concerns and urged Shah to take necessary action against insurgent groups suspected to be involved in the recent violence.
They specifically requested the implementation of Suspension of Operation (SoO) against these groups, the fortification of the international border, and the conduct of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the state.
The MLAs alleged that illegal arms smuggled from across the border were being used by miscreants engaged in violent activities.
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Two NPF legislators highlighted that certain vested interest groups, who had been affected by the state government’s crackdown on poppy cultivation, were responsible for instigating the recent wave of violence.
In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured the delegation that necessary steps would be taken to control insurgent outfits in Manipur, both in the Imphal Valley and the hills, before his visit to the state on May 29.
Following a surge in violence on May 3, the central government has taken charge of law and order in Manipur. The state has witnessed significant unrest, with 71 reported deaths, over 300 injuries, and approximately 25,000 people displaced due to incidents of firing, vandalism, and arson.
Shah urged the MLAs to encourage all communities to move beyond the recent events and exhibit restraint towards each other.
He emphasized the need for the Meitei community, which constitutes the majority population, to demonstrate magnanimity. However, he acknowledged that provocations had also originated from the other side.
Regarding the demand for an NRC exercise, Shah stated that the present circumstances were not conducive for such an initiative. He instructed Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to actively work towards creating an environment where both the Meitei and Kuki communities can engage in dialogues to restore peace in the state.
The BJP MLAs expressed their concerns to Amit Shah, revealing that they were under immense pressure to resign from their legislative positions due to discontent among the Meitei people in their respective constituencies.
The MLAs alleged that the people felt betrayed as they perceived a lack of decisive action by the Union government against SoO groups.
With both the central and state governments belonging to the BJP, the local legislators were seen as having failed to advocate for the interests of the Meitei community. In response, one of the BJP MLAs informed Shah that if the situation did not improve, they would have no choice but to resign.