Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will initiate discussions with both the Meitei and Kuki communities as soon as possible to address and bridge the ethnic divide in Manipur.
While reviewing the security situation in Manipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed that strict legal action be taken against the perpetrators of violence in the northeastern state.
According to an official statement, the home minister stated that the deployment of central forces would be increased if necessary and should be strategically positioned to restore peace and tranquility in the state. Shah also directed that measures be taken to ensure no further incidents of violence occur in the state, which has been experiencing ethnic violence for over a year.
The MHA will talk to both the groups, Meiteis and Kukis, so as to bridge the ethnic divide at the earliest, Shah was quoted as saying in the statement. He also directed the chief secretary of Manipur to provide adequate health and education facilities for the displaced people and to ensure their rehabilitation.
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, following a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts protesting the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.