The ethnic clashes in Manipur between the Meitei and other tribal people that spiralled on Wednesday, May 3rd, show no sign of recession as fresh incidents of violence are reported from several parts of the state even on Thursday, May 4th.
After the initial failure in curbing the ethnic clashes in Manipur, the state government has issued a “shoot at sight” order to control the situation in “exceptional” cases. There has been a huge deployment of military and paramilitary forces to dominate the affected areas and evacuate the civilians.
Apart from the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), around 500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in the state. The Indian Army reportedly informed that the domination and evacuation of civilians of all communities from the affected areas have been carried out.
According to the information shared by the government, more than 9,000 civilians have been evacuated until Thursday. Among them, around 5,000 people have been shifted to safe homes in Churachandpur, while another 2,000 people have been shifted to Imphal Valley, and 2,000 to Moreh town in Tenugopal district.
The Indian Army’s Kolkata-based Eastern Command has issued helpline numbers for civilians trapped amid the ethnic clashes in Manipur.
The Northeast Frontier Railway has suspended train operations in Manipur due to the ongoing violence. According to the ANI, Sabyasachi De, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northeast Frontier Railway, informed that no Manipur-bound train will enter the state and the railway operations will remain suspended on May 5th and May 6th in view of the situation.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is facing a major public backlash due to its failure in curbing the ethnic clashes in Manipur. Amid the ongoing carnage in the state, the BJP’s member of legislative assembly (MLA) Vungzagin Valte, from the Thanlon constituency in the Pherzawl district, was attacked on Thursday afternoon on the RIMS road by a mob when he was returning from the chief minister’s secretariat.
Chief Minister Singh has informed that his government is determined to end the ethnic clashes in Manipur and restore normalcy. “The government is taking all measures to maintain the law and order… We are committed to protecting the lives and property of all our people”, Singh had said.
The Opposition has targeted the BJP government for its failure in curbing the ethnic clashes in Manipur. Opposition parties like the Indian National Congress (INC) has blamed the BJP, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur.
The INC’s Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “In less than 15 months of BJP forming govt, the entire state of Manipur is in flames. But HM Shah and CryPM Modi are busy campaigning in Karnataka”.
Condemning the ethnic clashes in Manipur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bandopadhyay tweeted, “I am deeply concerned about the situation in Manipur”, saying, “It is not the time for politics. Politics & elections can wait but our beautiful state Manipur has to be protected first. Thus I urge the Prime Minister & Home Minister to first take care of Manipur, restore peace there”.
