Page 15 - Manipur Govt

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'Manipur turned into battlefield': Congress chief hits out at PM Modi

Blaming the BJP for turning the northeastern state into a 'battlefield', Kharge called Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh 'incompetent' and urged PM Modi to sack him

Manipur govt declares entire state 'disturbed area' amid ongoing violence

The Manipur government has kept 19 specific police stations out of the 'disturbed area' status, which include the capital Imphal

Meitei students' murder sparks fresh violence in Imphal: All details here

On Tuesday, a large number of students staged a demonstration in Imphal seeking justice for the two Meitei students who went missing on July 6

Manipur bans mobile internet again amid protests over dead students' photos

Altogether 45 students, many of them girls, were injured in Manipur's Imphal Valley on Tuesday as the police fired tear gas shells and baton-charged protesters demonstrating against the killing of two youths who were allegedly kidnapped in July, officials said. In view of the prevailing situation, the government reimposed suspension of internet services for five days and announced that all schools in the state will be closed till Friday. Twenty-four MLAs of Manipur including 21 of the BJP have urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah for "urgent necessary action by the CBI against the guilty persons" involved in the killing of two youths. The students of Imphal-based schools and colleges brought out the protest rallies hours after photos of the bodies of the two youths went viral on social media, demanding arrest of those involved in the killing. The protesters clashed with the police near Sanjenthong in Imphal East district when security forces stopped them from advancing towards the .

Mobile internet services restored in Manipur after over four months

Mobile internet services, which were suspended as ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in early May, were restored after over four months from Saturday. The services resumed hours after Chief Minister N Biren Singh made an announcement in this regard in the morning. He also called for the cancellation of the free movement regime that allows people residing close to both sides of the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 km deep into each other's territory without any document. Addressing a press conference here, Singh said, "The government had suspended mobile internet services on May 3 to check the spread of fake news, propaganda and hate speech. However, with the improvement of the situation, mobile internet services will be restored across the state from today." The services were restored from around 3 pm, an official said. The chief minister said the government will continue to deal with the influx of "illegal immigrants" and stressed the need for complete fencing of the India-Myan

Mobile internet services to be restored in Manipur from today: CM Biren

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that mobile internet services, which were suspended after ethnic violence erupted in the northeastern state on May 3, will be restored from Saturday. He also called for the cancellation of the free movement regime that allows people residing close to both sides of the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 km deep into each other's territory without any document. Addressing a press conference here, Singh said, "The government had suspended mobile internet services on May 3 to check the spread of fake news, propaganda and hate speech. However, with the improvement of the situation, mobile internet services will be restored across the state from today." He said the government will continue to deal with the influx of "illegal immigrants" and stressed the need for fencing the India-Myanmar border.

Manipur govt files report in SC on recovery of arms in violence-hit state

The Manipur government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has filed a status report on the issue of recovery of arms from "all sources" in the ethnic violence-hit state. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud that the report has been filed on the issue and it is for the judges only. He informed the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, about another short affidavit in the matter. Mehta told the bench that the affidavit says "whatever issues are being debated here are already been brought to the notice of the (apex court-appointed) committee" and the panel is considering them. The top court had earlier appointed a judges committee, headed by Justice (retd) Gita Mittal, to oversee relief and rehabilitation of victims of ethnic violence in the state. Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for the petitioners' side, told the bench that bodies of two women, who were gang-raped and killed in May in Manipur, have not

Manipur govt reprimands Airtel over availability of mobile internet service

The Manipur government has served a show cause notice to a private telecom company over the availability "of internet data services in mobile phones in some areas of Churachandpur and adjoining Bishnupur district on September 20" while the suspension of mobile data service is still in force, an official said. Commissioner (Home) T Ranjit Singh, in a letter to Ashish Bansal, Chief Technical Officer, Airtel, Imphal on Thursday remarked it is "a serious lapse on the part of service provider and this lapse might have led to the dissemination of inflammatory and provocative clips and messages in various social media platforms leading to communal tension, hatred and rumours," the official said. The letter said, "Considering the very sensitive and volatile law and order situation currently prevailing in the state, the aforesaid lapses have been viewed very seriously by the state government, and this amounts to violation of the government orders." The state government has asked Airtel to gi

Journalist bodies demand withdrawal of FIR against Editors Guild members

Journalist bodies on Monday condemned the registration of an FIR against the president and three members of the Editors Guild of India after it published a report of its fact-finding committee on the media coverage of the ethnic violence in Manipur. Terming it a case of "shooting the messenger", they said the action against the guild ill behoves the largest democracy in the world and the FIR should be withdrawn immediately. The Manipur Police has filed an FIR against the Editors Guild of India for allegedly promoting enmity between two communities, among other charges, over its report. Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the guild's members were "trying to create more clashes in the state of Manipur" and had "come to pour venom". In a statement issued here, the Press Club of India (PCI) demanded the withdrawal of the FIR. "It is a case of shooting the messenger rather than taking measures to restore peace in the state. We demand that the FIR against Editors Guild of India (EGI) ...

Meitei diaspora writes open letter to PM to restore peace in Manipur

With Manipur gripped by ethnic violence since May, hundreds of Meiteis from around the world have written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to restore normalcy in the northeastern state. In their letter titled 'Urgent Plea for Immediate Intervention to Restore Normalcy and Harmony in Manipur', Meitei NRIs and Meiteis of Indian origin urged Modi to visit Manipur and meet the people affected by this "senseless violence and ongoing turmoil". As India prepares to host the G20 summit, the "persistence of violence" in Manipur threatens to undermine these achievements, they said. Over 1,300 people signed the open letter within 48 hours, which was submitted to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday. "As India makes significant strides in development and prepares to host the G20 summit, the persistence of violence in Manipur threatens to undermine these achievements. The ongoing violence in Manipur has fractured the social fabric of the state," the lette

'Situation we are facing in Manipur is unprecedented': Assam Rifles DG

Director General of Assam Rifles Lt General PC Nair, while talking to ANI said that there is a need for realisation to come for the people of the state that the only way forward is peace

Upcoming Manipur assembly session just an eyewash, says Congress

Former Manipur chief minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh on Saturday said the upcoming assembly session on August 29 is just an eyewash and not in public interest. Speaking to reporters at the Congress Bhavan here, Okram said, "I attended the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) today (Saturday) and learnt that the session will be just for a day. Since it is a constitutional obligation to hold a session before September 2, Tuesday's session has been called." "The agenda is going to be obituary references," Okram said, adding, "In my experience, on a day when obituary references are taken up, no other business is discussed." Members of the BAC held a meeting to discuss the time allocation of business for the one-day session. "As a member of the committee, I suggested that the session be held at least for five days to discuss the unprecedented situation in the state. The opposition has just four or five members. We are not here to criticise the government, but

Security forces recover firearms, ammunition during search ops in Manipur

Security forces recovered four firearms, 38 ammunition and eight bombs from Manipur's Imphal East and Imphal West districts during search operations, police said. Search operations were conducted in the fringe and vulnerable areas of Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Kangpokpi and Thoubal districts during which security forces recovered firearms, ammunition and bombs, a statement issued by the Manipur Police Control Room said on Thursday night. The statement said "during the last 24 hours, the situation in the state was tense with sporadic incidents of congregation of protestors." A total of 123 'nakas' (checkpoints) were installed in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and valley and police detained 1,581 persons in connection with violations in different districts of the state, the statement said. The statement appealed to the general public not to believe in rumours and to be wary of false videos. Any circulation of unfounded videos may be confirmed from the ...

Remove Biren Singh for failing to restore normalcy in Manipur: CPI(M)

Senior CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury, who is currently visiting strife-torn Manipur as member of a party delegation, on Saturday demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh for "failing to restore normalcy". Chaudhury, the Tripura unit's general secretary and part of the CPI(M) delegation that is on a three-day visit to the violence-affected state, alleged that the ethnic violence in the northeastern state was part of the BJP-RSS' strategy of engineering division among people across the country. The BJP, however, dismissed the CPI(M) leader's allegations as baseless and asserted the state was on the path to peace. "We don't see the strife in Manipur as an isolated situation but as part of the BJP-RSS' pan-India strategy of creating divisions and triggering mistrust among people to rule them. Such incidents are happening everywhere," Chaudhury told PTI over the phone. The CPI(M) delegation, led by its national general secretary Sitaram Yechury, visited three relief camps

SBI offers to extend relief on loans to customers in riot-hit Manipur

The State Bank of India (SBI) has offered to extend relief on loans to its customers in Manipur, who have been affected by the ongoing unrest in the state. The relief package includes a moratorium of up to 12 months on equated monthly installments (EMIs), interest payments, and other installments. It will be available to borrowers whose accounts had not turned non-performing assets (NPAs) as on May 3, 2023, a SBI Manipur regional office notice said. The package will be implemented based on an assessment date of May 4, 2023. Borrowers who are interested in availing relief must approach their home branches or any nearby SBI branch by August 31, 2023, the bank said. The SBI said it understands the challenges that individuals and businesses are facing in Manipur at this time, and the relief package is aimed at providing them with much-needed support. "The SBI's relief package is a welcome move for borrowers in Manipur who have been affected by the unrest. The moratorium on EMIs and ...

Peace returning to Manipur, should build on it and find solutions: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said peace was returning to ethnic violence-hit Manipur and urged the people of the state to build on it to find a solution to the problems there. In his Independence Day address, the prime minister said that for the past few days reports of peace have been coming from Manipur regularly and the Centre and the state government were making every effort to find a solution to the problems there. "The nation is with the people of Manipur. The country should take forward the peace process which has been set in motion by the people of Manipur for the past few days. Only peace can lead to a solution," the prime minister said. More than 150 people have been killed in the ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3. The prime minister said that for the past few weeks the northeast, particularly Manipur, and other parts of the country have witnessed a cycle of violence in which several lives were lost and mothers and sisters had to face loss of dignity. "Bu

Confusion, vested interests led to loss of precious lives in Manipur: CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign plot to destabilise the country has led to loss of precious lives and properties in the state. Singh said this after hoisting the national flag at the 1st Manipur Rifles parade ground here on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day function. The Independence Day celebration was held in all hill and valley districts of the state. He urged all to stop the violence and bring back the rapid progress the state had witnessed earlier. "Certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign plot to de-stabilise the country has led to loss of precious lives and properties and many are living in relief camps," the CM said. The government is working consistently to bring back normalcy and the affected people will be resettled soon, Singh said, adding that those who cannot be shifted to the original places immediately will be shifted temporarily to pre-fabricate

Manipur HC asks govt to find ways to restore internet services in state

The Manipur High Court has asked the state government to find ways to provide mobile internet services to people. The court was hearing a batch of pleas filed by various parties seeking restoration of mobile internet services which were blocked after violence broke out in the state on May 3. A bench of Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma on Friday directed, "...state authorities, specially, the home department should consider for devising mechanism/methods for providing internet services through mobile phones by whitelisting the mobile numbers on case to case basis and in a phase-wise manner. It also added, Accordingly, the state authorities are directed to consider this aspect and to submit a report on the next date." During the hearing, the state's counsel submitted that the Manipur government had, earlier, issued necessary orders lifting the ban on providing internet through broadband services (ILL & FTTH) in a liberalised manner. The counsel said this .

Manipur tribal students stage rally to observe 100 days of ethnic clashes

The Joint Students' Body comprising the Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF), Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) and Hmar Students' Association (HSA) on Thursday organised a rally in Manipur's Churachandpur town to observe 100 days of ethnic strife in the state. Eyewitnesses said the students appreciated the resistance put up by the village defence guards to prevent violence. "The day was observed to pay tributes to the tribals who fought the attackers. The Kuki-Zo tribals will not rest till their demands are met and a separate administration formed, a member of the JSF said. He said the demand for separate administration dates back to the 1960s and the tribals "are not illegal immigrants as claimed by some politicians." The students' body said a one-minute silence was also observed as a mark of respect to the tribals who were killed in the ethnic strife. On July 27, the body had submitted a memorandum to Governor Anusuiya Uikey seeking necessary measures for Kuki-Zomi University studen