Page 46 - Manipur

Congress demands discussion on Manipur in Parl; 31 bills to be taken up

Some of the parties have planned to move an adjournment motion over Manipur violence among other issues on day one of the Parliament's Monsoon Session on Thursday

Manipur warring groups still in possession of 600,000 bullets: Officials

Over six lakh bullets and around 3,000 weapons are still with the warring communities in strife-torn Manipur with officials and experts warning of a resurgence of banned terror groups in the state. Quoting data collected from various sources, officials closely monitoring the situation here said that .303 rifles, Medium Machine Guns (MMG) and AK assault rifles, carbines, Insas Light Machine Guns (LMG), Insas rifles, M-16 and MP5 rifles were reported to be missing from the armouries of the police in May. Besides these, around 6 lakh bullets have been found missing during the waves of attacks carried out on police and other security officials from May 3 when the ethnic clashes began in the state with two dominant communities targeting each other. These attacks have so far claimed over 160 lives. The officials said around 4,537 arms and 6.32 lakh rounds of ammunition were missing mainly from Manipur Police Training Centre (MTPC) at Pangei in East Imphal, 7th India Reserve battalion and

Demand for discussion on Manipur 'non-negotiable', says Jairam Ramesh

The opposition's demand for discussion on issues such as Manipur and price rise during the Monsoon Session is "non-negotiable", senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday, asserting that the government must shun its "my way or the highway" approach and follow a middle path for smooth functioning of Parliament. The Congress general secretary in-charge communications also said his party will oppose the bill that would be brought in to replace the Delhi ordinance, which he alleged "curtails constitutional rights and responsibilities of the elected government". In an interview with PTI, Ramesh said opposition parties are going into the Monsoon Session, starting Thursday, with a positive mindset but asserted that the primary responsibility of getting Parliament to function is that of the government of the day. The session is scheduled to end on August 11. In a parliamentary democracy, he opposition must have its say and the government will have its way, he said. During a ...

Manipur violence: Villagers seek deployment of more central forces

As Manipur grapples with ethnic violence involving Meiteis and Kukis, several other communities in its villages are also suffering the perils of conflict, living amid danger and uncertainty every day. In Ward Number 9 of Kwatka Municipal Council between Phuoljang and Phaogakchao villages, there is palpable fear among inhabitants as they face unannounced gunfire and the alleged "nonchalant attitude" of local authorities. In the humble settlement dotted by small huts, fresh scars of violence are etched on walls and roofs that bear innumerable chinks caused by bullets from the relentless crossfire. Inside, the furniture and kitchen utensils are riddled with countless holes, each one representing a bullet that pierced through the fragile walls and serving as a haunting reminder of the danger that lurks outside. Speaking on behalf of the villagers of Phaogakchao, Wahid Rehman describes the dire situation they find themselves in. "We are living on the edge, with no certainty about the .

Will meet all groups, communities in violence-hit Manipur: TMC delegation

A five-member delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs, which reached the Manipur capital on Wednesday afternoon, said they would meet all groups and communities of the violence-hit state and listen to their problems. The TMC has been alleging that "divisive" policies of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Manipur have led to the ethnic strife which has claimed over 150 lives. Upon landing in Imphal, Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev told reporters, Our leader Mamata Banerjee has sent a delegation of five MPs to listen to all the sides. Banerjee had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier and wanted to visit the state. But the home minister did not facilitate her visit. Later, she directed us to visit the state for a day or two." "We want to assure the people of Manipur that our leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee want peace. We want to hear and listen to all because we want everyone to coexist. We will take a helicopter to Churachandpur and visit the relief camps

Manipur govt removes curfew relaxation in valley districts ahead of rally

The Manipur government has removed the daily curfew relaxation in the five valley districts from 5am to 6pm and clamped full curfew in view of a rally on Wednesday. The government's decision comes after Kwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace, which represents the womenfolk of the main market in Imphal town, appealed to all to make the "Mothers' Protest" rally a roaring success. The committee's co-convenor, K Dhaneshori, urged all mothers in every locality to come out from their homes between 11 am and 1 pm and raise slogans demanding rejection of separate administration, implementation of NRC and immediate convening of an emergency assembly session. She also appealed to all to support the protest against the continuing violence in the state. Security measures have been intensified in capital Imphal town as well. Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, police have detained 30 persons for their alleged involvement in the attack on IGP (Zone 2) K Kabib and his

Five-member TMC delegation to visit violence-hit Manipur on Wednesday

A five-member Trinamool Congress delegation will visit violence-hit Manipur on Wednesday, party leader Sushmita Dev said. The delegation will reach Imphal around 11 am and will try its best to meet those affected by violence, especially women and children of all communities, she said. Dev said TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee was among the first to seek permission from the government to allow her to visit the state. "Manipur is being destroyed and the prime minister is silent," she said.

Ircon bags Rs 144 crore order from N F Railway Construction in Manipur

Ircon International Ltd on Monday said it has bagged orders worth Rs 144 crore from N F Railway Construction in Manipur. The company received the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from N F Railway Construction on July 17. In a regulatory filing, Ircon International Ltd (Ircon) said it has has been awarded the work for supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of integrated tunnel communication systems, optical fibre cable-based industrial grade network system. The laying of the optical fibre cables and other cables for the railway network will also cover tunnels and stations in the Jiribam-Khongsang section of the Jiribam-Imphal new railway line project. The Rs 144 crore-order, bagged through a competitive bidding, is to be completed within 365 days from the date of issuance of the LoA. Ircon, under the Ministry of Railways, is a leading turnkey construction company.

Congress wants to trigger violence by sending leaders to Manipur: Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur has alleged that the Congress wanted to trigger violence in Manipur by sending its leaders there while asserting that some parties were not comfortable with peace in the country. Interacting with reporters in Hamirpur on Sunday, he said on one hand, the Congress party was claiming that Manipur was plagued by violence and on the other its leaders were visiting the northeastern state "without any purpose". "No untoward incident has been reported from Manipur in the past 10 days. But the Congress wants to trigger violence by sending its leaders there, which is unacceptable," he said, adding that some leaders and parties are not comfortable with peace in the country and the Congress is one of them. Thakur, who is on a four-day tour of his Hamirpur constituency to supervise the relief and rescue operations, said the Congress government has not spared the common man even in the face of a major calamity as it went on to raise the Value Added Tax on diesel. The

Manipur burns, EU Parl discusses it but PM hasn't said a word: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the situation in Manipur and the European Parliament discussing it, saying he has not uttered a word on either of these. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who has been attacking the government over its handling of the situation in Manipur, also slammed the Centre. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said, "Manipur burns. EU Parliament discusses India's internal matter. PM hasn't said a word on either!" "Meanwhile, Rafale gets him a ticket to the Bastille Day Parade," he added. Targeting the Centre, Ramesh said, "In January 1977 Richard Nelson a noted economist at Yale University published a very influential essay called The Moon and the Ghetto. It became required reading for people like me in graduate school. Nelson poses the question: why is it that a technologically dynamic America is able to land man on the moon but is unable to meaningfully address its problems at home especially in the inner ..

MEA slams EU Parl resolution on Manipur situation, calls it unacceptable

Arindam Bagchi said that Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary are aware of the situation in Manipur and are taking measures to maintain peace, harmony, law and order

Manipur MLAs urge Amit Shah to restore normalcy in state after violence

The MLAs also reiterated their commitment to initiating decisive measures against these armed groups that have violated the established ground rules of engagement

SC asks Centre, Manipur govt to ensure safety of citizens amid violence

The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Centre and the Manipur government to take steps to ensure the safety of the citizens in the ethnic violence-riven state besides ordering disbursement of funds for reconstruction of villages and places of worship. The top court also took note of the submissions about objectionable public utterances by some groups and individuals. We request all parties to maintain equilibrium in their speeches and steer clear of any sort of hate speech, the court said. Observing that law and order fell within the executive domain, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said it cannot direct as to where the Army and the central armed police forces have to be deployed. The bench, also comprising justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, however, ordered sufficient arrangements to be made to ensure the protection of the citizens and private and public property in the state. We are of the view that it will not be appropriate for this court in exercise of judic

SC protects woman lawyer from arrest in FIR lodged by Manipur Police

The Supreme Court on Tuesday protected a woman lawyer from arrest in connection with an FIR lodged by the Manipur Police for her visit to the strife-hit state as part of a fact-finding mission. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior lawyer Siddharth Dave, appearing for advocate Deeksha Dwivedi, while protecting her from arrest and listed her plea for further hearing this Friday. The bench, also comprising justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, asked Dave to provide a copy of the petition to the counsel assisting Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing the Manipur government in a batch of petitions pertaining to the ethnic violence in the state. Dwivedi was part of a three-member fact-finding team of a women lawyers' association, the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). The woman lawyer was on a fact-finding mission on the Manipur violence and an FIR was registered by the state police invoking various penal provisio

Lack of essential items, medicines leads to desperation in Manipur hills

The scarcity of essential items and medicines due to the ongoing civil conflict in Manipur has created an environment of desperation and vulnerability among the residents of the northeastern state. While the Kukis, in response to the Centre's call, have lifted a blockade along National Highway 2, which serves as the "lifeline" for those living in the Imphal valley, the Meiteis have steadfastly maintained their blockade, preventing any supply from reaching Churachandpur, the largest district in the state with a significant Kuki population. Churachandpur is home to around four lakh people. Another 10,000 displaced people are living in the relief camps set up in the district. The shortage of doctors, particularly surgeons, has reached critical levels. The consequences are dire as essential medical treatments, including dialysis, and medicines for cancer and anti-AIDS drugs remain out of reach for those in desperate need. "We really need doctors during this prevailing situation. We sti

Apex court cannot be used as platform to escalate tension in Manipur: SC

The apex court cannot be used as platform to escalate tension in Manipur, the Supreme Court on Monday said while making it clear that it cannot take the law and order apparatus in its hand to douse the violence. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said at most it can give directions to the authorities to make the situation better and for that it needs assistance of different groups and positive suggestions. "Give us some positive suggestions by Tuesday to make the situation better and we will ask the Centre and the Manipur government to look into it", the bench told different groups of Manipur before it, as it took on record the status report filed by the state chief secretary on the situation prevailing in the violence-hit state. The top court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Manipur government, to take instructions on a circular issued in June, by which it had asked state government employees to report to duty or face a pay

Policeman killed, 10 injured in west Kangpokpi after clashes in Manipur

One policeman was killed and at least 10 people injured on Monday following violent overnight clashes in Manipur's west Kangpokpi area, officials said. There was a brief lull between about 3 am and 6 am but the sound of indiscriminate firing from Phayeng and Singda villages could be heard after that. The firing was aimed at villages and hills in Kangchup area of Kangpokpi district, the officials said. Assam Rifles manages a buffer zone between the two villages. Officials did not rule out the possibility of more casualties from both sides and said the exact picture could be ascertained only after the firing came to an end. At least 150 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal ...

N Biren Singh hangs on to power, with a little help from New Delhi

Singh, who is 62, started his career as a footballer who was recruited by the Border Security Force (BSF) after his skills at an exhibition match caught the attention of a coach from the BSF Jalandhar

Situation allowed to fester: Sachin Pilot slams Centre on Manipur violence

Slamming the BJP-led Centre over its handling of violence-hit Manipur, Congress leader Sachin Pilot has alleged that such a situation was "allowed to fester" in the state and asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not holding a "genuine" all-party meeting on it. He also hit out at Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, saying that he had lost the moral and political right to govern the state. "A small state like Manipur which deserved to be handled with care, with empathy and compassion, there is no accountability, so many people have lost their lives. The government has lost the moral authority to govern, and no one is responsible, nobody in the state, nobody in the ruling party, nobody in Delhi is answering questions," Pilot said. "Mr. Rahul Gandhi went to Manipur to meet people. It was an effort, not a political effort to get brownie points for anything, but to make sure people feel that despite religious divisions and societal divisions, there are people who want to go and he

Manipur violence: Warring groups use quadcopters to target each other

Technology has become both a boon and a bane in the restive Manipur state. While Army and Assam Rifles are deploying drones to rescue and save people, clashing ethnic groups are using quadcopters to target each other. It has been noticed by security agencies that quadcopters have been put to use by warring factions - Meiteis, mostly concentrated in Imphal valley, and Kukis, mainly on the hillside - to know each other's positions, officials said. There have been places like Phougakchao, Kangvai Bazar, and Torbung Bazar in the southwest part of Manipur where the quadcopters have been put to extensive use by the two communities where their villages face each other. The security forces have created buffer zones at these places to keep the agitated communities away from each other. However, Loibol in Senapati district and Leimaram in Bishnupur district have been hotspots during the violence despite the presence of security forces, the officials said. Mistrust runs deep in the two ...