Union HM Amit Shah urges dialogue as only solution to Manipur crisis; opposes continued President's Rule

Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that dialogue is the only way forward for both communities in Manipur. He clarified that the Union government does not support continuing President's Rule in the state.

Shah explained that the violence in May 2023 was triggered by a Manipur High Court order, which created insecurities among the tribal community about losing their reservation status. This led to the issue evolving into a conflict between tribals and non-tribals.

“It is not a religious conflict, nor terrorism, or a law and order failure. Of the 260 people killed in the ethnic violence so far, 70% of the killings took place in the first 15 days. When ethnic violence spreads, controlling it within 15 days is difficult. This is not the first time such violence has been reported in the state,” said Shah.

“Such incidents in the past have taken years to subside, but the Bharatiya Janata Party never politicized them. They (the opposition) are rubbing salt on the wounds of Manipur by politicizing the issue,” he added.

According to Shah, there have been 13 meetings with both communities thus far, and the final one will soon take place in Delhi.

Shah also proposed a statutory motion in the Rajya Sabha to approve the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur at approximately 2:40 am on April 4. The upper house approved the resolution.

The ethnic violence that broke out on May 3, 2023, between the Meitei and the tribal Kuki-Zo people has claimed the lives of almost 260 people. The state was placed under President's Rule on Feb 13.

“The resolution was brought late to the House because the meetings continued. Even when the (budget) session was on, two meetings took place, and the third and final meeting with the two communities in Delhi will be held soon. I hope both communities will understand and take the route of dialogue,” Shah said.

The state administration was instructed by the Manipur High Court on March 27, 2023, to submit its recommendation regarding the Meiteis' inclusion in the ST list.

The court requested that the motion be reviewed within four weeks. Tribal unity protests were held in all hill districts on May 3, 2023, after which violence erupted, starting in Churachandpur.

The minister denied that the Congress party's no-confidence motion in the state assembly was the reason for the imposition of President's Rule, saying that it was a political vacuum following the departure of Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Feb 9.

“I want to make it clear that Congress did not have enough numbers to bring a no-confidence motion against the state government. None of the MLAs staked a claim to form the government. President's Rule was imposed on Feb 13. But even before that, zero violence was reported in November, December, January, and March. Misconceptions should not be created,” Shah said.

In the Upper House, 10 members of the opposition discussed the legislative resolution for around 90 minutes.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition, called for a white paper on Manipur.

“The opposition parties had planned a no-confidence motion. President’s Rule is a political need. The MLAs in the state revolted against the chief minister, and both the PM and HM never wanted him to resign,” Kharge said.

“The prime minister should visit Manipur and make a statement in the Rajya Sabha. He has come only once this session, and that too for 15 minutes. There is no strategic or long-term policy concerning Manipur. Every day it’s a new experiment. The entire country stands with Manipur. The prime minister should explain why he has not visited Manipur yet,” Kharge added.

According to Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool Congress, the prime minister has traveled around 380,000 kilometers over the past 22 months, yet has not had time to visit the state.

“You are arrogant and won't even acknowledge there is a problem. The irony of discussing the state in the dead of night at 3 am, with no prime time or TV coverage, is glaring. Look at Manipur during the day. Look Manipur in the eye. The night is sinister,” the TMC member said.

A A Rahim of the CPI(M) condemned the attacks on religious places, questioning, "Where is our Prime Minister? He hasn’t visited Manipur." He described the violence as premeditated and calculated, comparing it to events in Gujarat. Rahim further highlighted that churches were destroyed using gas cylinders and called on the government to release data on attacks against Christians.

Kanimozhi NVN Somu of the DMK criticized President’s Rule, calling it an assault on federalism. She questioned its effectiveness, asking, "What has the President’s Rule achieved after 46 days? Have displaced people returned home?"

Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party raised concerns over the brutal assault on the wife of a Kargil war hero, who was reportedly paraded naked.

“PM has spoken only for 36 seconds on Manipur so far. You have time to visit foreign countries, but not to visit Manipur. Begin the electoral process soon and work on bridging the divide between the two communities,” Singh said.

Sanjay Yadav (RJD) criticized the imposition of a curfew and internet blockade in Manipur, stating that no efforts had been made to restore peace in the state.

Sandosh Kumar P (CPI) questioned the government, saying, “You set a deadline to end Naxalism in the country. When will you address the crisis in Manipur? The Prime Minister is known for his global tours but hasn’t visited Manipur. After Trump's rule, this government imposed the President's Rule”.

Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT) remarked, “We’ve been urging the Prime Minister to visit Manipur for two years. Instead of saving the state, the focus has been on protecting the chief minister. The elected government in Manipur must be restored soon.”