Supreme Court committee orders protection of religious buildings in Manipur

386 religious structures have been vandalised over the course of the ongoing unrest, including 254 churches and 132 temples

Amidst the ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur, a Supreme Court-appointed three-member committee comprising former judges Gita Mittal, Shalini P Joshi, and Asha Menon has directed the state government to safeguard all religious buildings from damage, destruction, and encroachment, according to a report by The Indian Express.

A writ petition filed by the Meitei Christian Churches Council drew attention to the vandalisation of between 240 and 247 churches, where valuable items and documents were either looted or deliberately burnt.

Archbishop of Imphal, Dominic Lumon, reportedly wrote a letter in June concerning the destruction of churches belonging to the Meitei Christians. The letter asserted that 249 churches had been destroyed within a 36-hour window during the violence.

 

The Manipur Police earlier this month had also stated that 386 religious structures had been vandalised over the course of the ongoing unrest. The 254 churches and 132 temples that were vandalised, were among reportedly 5,132 recorded cases of arson.

The committee investigated these allegations and called for the immediate identification and protection of religious structures, including churches, Hindu temples, Sanamahi temples, and mosques, affected since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023.

Additionally, the committee directed the state to ensure the protection of properties belonging to individuals who have been displaced, as well as those that were damaged during the violence. A comprehensive survey of all affected properties was mandated, and encroachers were instructed to "remove their encroachments" without delay.

In its recommendations, the committee advised the Supreme Court to issue "orders to this effect," adding that "failure to comply would result in the concerned individual being liable for contempt of court."

This development follows the Manipur government's declaration on Wednesday that, except for 19 specific police station areas, the entire state would be designated a "disturbed area" under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Additionally, the state government reimposed a ban on mobile internet and Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage for five days, just three days after lifting a similar ban amidst the ongoing unrest.