Imphal, March 6 Security forces, comprising Central and state, on Thursday evening conducted flag marches in different districts of Manipur ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive of free movement on all roads in Manipur from March 8, officials said.
A senior police official said that the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, and District Police of Manipur conducted the flag march in the sensitive and vulnerable districts of Manipur.
The flag march was held in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s March 1 directive to ensure the free movement of vehicles and people on state highways starting March 8.
The major highways have remained inaccessible due to ethnic strife between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023, a conflict that has claimed over 258 lives, injured over 1500 people of both communities and displaced more than 70,000 people from their homes and villages.
The flag march aims to restore order and instill confidence among the public ahead of March 8, the official said. While the move has been welcomed by Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei community, and valley-based women’s organisations, who have urged strict action against any obstructions.
Some Kuki-Zo organisations based in Kangpokpi district reportedly opposed the free movement of vehicles and people on state highways.
With Manipur under President’s Rule since February 13, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla is under pressure to ensure law and order. After the Union Home Minister’s meeting in Delhi on March 1, on March 4, he held a high-level security review with top officials of the Army, the Assam Rifles, the CRPF, BSF, state Police, Chief Secretary and Home Commissioner reaffirming the need to implement Shah’s directive.
“To enforce compliance, security would be reinforced, with intensified patrols along critical routes such as National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur via Kangpokpi district) to prevent any kind of obstruction,” the official said.
He also said that the administration actively engaged with key stakeholders, including COCOMI, tribal organisations and other community leaders, to ease tensions and address security concerns.
The official said that a dedicated task force is likely to be engaged to monitor the implementation of the directive, providing daily progress reports.
Political pundits said that with just two days remaining until the March 8 deadline, the Governor’s handling of the situation would determine whether this initiative restores order or escalates tensions in a state already battered by prolonged conflict.
--IANS
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