Union Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized the necessity of negotiations for restoring peace in Manipur, which has been marred by ethnic violence. The Narendra Modi government is committed to returning the state to normalcy as its next phase of efforts, according to Rijiju. He attributed the ongoing clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur to a Manipur High Court order proposing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meiteis. Rijiju clarified that the issue in Manipur is not a rebellion against the BJP-led Centre but rather ethnic tensions between the dominant Meitei and Kuki groups. The violence has resulted in at least 219 casualties in the troubled state.
If anyone wants to help restore peace in Manipur, then first go and appeal to both the Meities and the Kukis that do not pick up arms. An armed struggle will not lead to a solution. Peaceful negotiations are the only means to achieve a peaceful atmosphere and get normalcy back. That will be the next phase of our efforts to bring development in Manipur, he told PTI in a video interview.
The Union Minister of Earth Sciences highlighted the government's efforts to bring about peace, mentioning Prime Minister Modi's appeals for peace from the Red Fort and Parliament. He noted that even in this year's Independence Day speech, the Prime Minister began by addressing Manipur, emphasizing that the entire nation stands in solidarity with the state. Despite these efforts, the opposition continues to raise the issue, the minister added.
Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said those who want peace to be restored in Manipur should emphatically say that the warring groups must stop violence and talk to each other as that is the only way out. The Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) stayed there for four days, our MoS (Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai) was there for 22 days and many officers were there, he said.
Rijiju put the blame for the ongoing ethnic clashes between the two communities in the state on the high court order recommending ST status to the Meiteis. He said the conflict was triggered when the high court delivered the judgment, telling the government that ST status should be given to the Meities within three months.
Don’t you think that was a very unique kind of an order from the high court? Determination of a community as tribal or non-tribal is the government’s job. It is a policy matter.