Shah meets Kuki, Meitei groups amid Manipur violence

Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a four-day visit to violence-hit Manipur, on Tuesday, held a series of meetings with Meitei and Kuki groups to restore peace and normalcy in the state. GUWAHATI:  Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a four-day visit to violence-hit Manipur, on Tuesday held a series of meetings with Meitei and Kuki groups to restore peace and normalcy in the state.  Soon after landing on Monday night, Shah got down to business by chairing a high-level meeting of state ministers and officials. One of the first decisions was to grant Rs 10 lakh ex gratia to the kin of those killed in the clashes and a government job to one of the family members.  Shah began his second day in Manipur by meeting a group of Meitei women leaders, followed by subsequent meetings with civil society groups, intellectuals and student unions. Later, he visited the hill district of Churachandpur and held similar meetings with leaders from the Kuki community.  Ginza Vualzong, leader of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, said they demanded ‘total separation’ from Manipur and the imposition of President’s rule as the law and order in the state have collapsed. Shah sought 15 days’ time to work towards the restoration of peace, he added.  During their meeting, the Meitei leaders demanded the protection of Manipur’s territorial and administrative integrity and immediate abrogation of the Suspension of Operation agreement with Kuki insurgent groups involved in violence.  Meanwhile, 11 sports personalities including Olympian weightlifter Kunjarani Devi have threatened to return awards if the Centre does not fulfil their eight-point charter of demands that include rejecting any plan to disintegrate Manipur and allowing Meiteis to settle down in the hills. On Wednesday, Shah will visit the Moreh and Kangpokpi areas of Manipur. (THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS)

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