Page 47 - Manipur

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 ...

Manipur govt to provide security to farmers doing agricultural work: Police

The Manipur government will provide security to farmers engaged in agricultural work in the ethnic strife-hit state, a senior police officer said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference at Police Headquarters here, Inspector General of Police I K Muivah said as the planting period of the agriculture season is very short, the police will provide security to farmers engaged in agriculture work. The IGP said the state had recently reduced the number of security personnel deployed on VIP duty and will utilise them in providing security to farmers doing agricultural activities. However, the farmers should contact the Superintendent of Police of their respective district before heading out for their work, the IGP said. No farmers should go out for farming if they don't have any security cover, he said. The IGP said 822 security personnel will be deployed in providing security to farmers in Imphal West district, 290 in Imphal East, 236 in Bishnupur, 147 in Thoubal, 204 in Kakching, 20

Left MPs to raise Manipur issue in Parliament, oppose US envoy's remarks

Visiting Left MPs on Saturday said they would raise the issue of continuing violence in Manipur in the monsoon session of Parliament while condemning US Ambassador Eric Garcetti's comment on the state. The delegation of CPI(M) and CPI MPs who were on a three-day visit also said to begin a peace initiative in the northeastern state, what is needed is instilling trust and confidence among all sections of the people. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member Bikash Bhattacharya claimed that the central and state governments have failed miserably in resolving the problem in Manipur. The PM has not said anything though Manipur is burning for more than two months. This shows his gross carelessness for the people of the state. We will definitely raise the Manipur issue in Parliament, Bhattacharya said. CPI(M) MP John Brittas added, "To start the peace process, we have to instil trust and confidence among all the sections. The present government has lost its legitimacy. He also demanded that Chief Minist

Manipur violence: Mob sets ablaze two vehicles in Imphal, firing reported

A mob torched two vehicles in Imphal West district while an exchange of fire was reported in Imphal East district, as violence continued in Manipur, officials said on Saturday. A group of people burnt two private vehicles at Mahabali Road near the historic Kangla fort as they suspected those four-wheelers were being used for ferrying household goods to a particular ethnic community on Friday night, they said. The police intervened and the mob dispersed. Drivers of both vehicles managed to flee and there was no casualty. There was an intermittent exchange of fire at Laikot near Yaingangpokpi in Imphal West district between two communities late Friday night. The incidents occurred after four people including a Manipur police commando were shot dead and several others injured in separate places in Bishnupur district. The policeman was killed in a gun battle with suspected militants at Moirang Turel Mapan in the evening, while three others lost their lives in the wee hours in villages

Police commando among 4 killed in Manipur clashes in Kangvai area

Four persons including a Manipur Police commando and a teenager were killed in Kangvai area of Bishnupur district in clashes between the two warring communities in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, officials said. The area where people from both the communities stay in close proximity witnessed gun fights during the night despite a buffer zone created by security forces to prevent escalation of the situation, they said. Last night, an attempt was made by mobs from the hillside to come down and burn some villages in the valley. These mobs had gathered from outside the area and did not yield to the request of locals to go back, they said. The security forces responded in a calibrated manner and prevented them from torching any house. However, some people from both sides indulged in firing at each other from standoff ranges from villages of Kangvai, Songdo and Awang Lekhai which resulted in death of three persons besides injuries on both sides. Although the firing ceased

Never heard US envoy making statement on India's internal affairs: Cong MP

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Friday objected strongly to US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti's reported remarks on Manipur and said he doubts if the new American envoy is cognisant of the torturous history of US-India ties and New Delhi's sensitivity about interference, perceived or real, in its internal affairs. Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata on Thursday, Garcetti reportedly said the violence and killings in Manipur are a matter of "human concern" and the US is "ready to assist" India in dealing with the situation "if asked". Reacting to the remarks, Tewari said on Twitter, "To the best of my recollection going back at least four decades in public life, I have never heard an US Ambassador making a statement of this nature about the internal affairs of India." "We faced challenges in Punjab, J-K , northeast over the decades and surmounted those with sagacity and wisdom," the former Union minister said. Even when Robin Raphel would be "loquacious" on Jammu and Kashmir in

Woman shot dead outside a school in Manipur's Imphal West district

A woman was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside a school in Manipur's Imphal West district on Thursday morning, officials said. They said she had gone near the school at Kwakeithel Mayai Koibi under Lamphel police station on some work but was not connected with any school. The incident occurred a day after classes 1 to 8 began in the state after two months because of the violence. Following the killing, a tribal organisation demanded imposition of President's Rule in the northeastern state. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) identified the woman as Donngaihching, a mentally ill person who lived on alms provided by locals. We again urge the central government to relieve the incapable state government and impose President's Rule immediately, the ITLF said in a statement. More than 100 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 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