Shah summons CM Biren, ministers to Delhi
Delhi visit nothing to do with politics but apprise centre on state issues: BJP MLAs
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 14 2023:
In connection with the ongo-ing ethnic violence in the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah summoned representatives of the government of Manipur on Sunday, following which Chief Minister N Biren Singh, BJP Ma - nipur Pradesh president A Sharda and handful of ministers left for Delhi in a chartered flight.
According to a source, home minister Amit Shah summoned CM Biren and other ministers, for which a charter flight arrived from Delhi at Imphal International Airport around 9.30 am Sunday.
Shortly after, CM N Biren, Works minister Govindas Konthou - jam, Power minister Thongam Biswajit, RD8i PR minister Yumnam Khemchand, Education minister Thounaojam Bas - anta Kumar and BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda boarded the flight at 11.30 am and left for the national capital.
The ministerial team staying at Manipur Bhavan, Delhi is likely to return to the state after midnight on a chartered flight.
Among others, CM Biren is likely to hold a press conference on Monday morning for a briefing on the New Delhi visit and what transpired during the meeting with Amit Shah.
The source further said the CM Bi-ren-led ministerial team may meet the union home minister to discuss the communal violence in the state and the separate homeland demand made by the 10 Kuki MLAs during a press conference held at Guwahati.
Mention may be made that communal clashes were reported from different districts following the tribal solidarity march on May 3 in the hill areas, re-suiting in loss of many lives and mass destruction of properties.
Many peo-ple were displaced and are staying at relief camps.
In view of the prevailing situation, the union home minister had summoned CM Biren and other ministers to Delhi immediately after the Karnataka elections.
Meanwhile, categorically dismiss-ing the information/rumours spread by some persons/groups with 'vested interests that their visit to Delhi were for personal/positional gain as totally and utterly baseless, BJP MLAs Karam Shyam, Paonam Brojen Singh, Kh Ra-ghumani Singh and 111 Radheshyam Singh clarified that the Delhi trip was for some welfare projects and to ap-prise the central leadership regarding the socio-economic condition of the state and has nothing to do with any politicking.
In a joint statement issued Sunday, the four BJP MLAs termed as 'very worri-some' the violence that erupted on May 3 and the following days in the state.
Perhaps, the cause of the incident was the misunderstanding between the two communities who have been living together peacefully in the state since time immemorial.
Such incident is beyond the boundary of humanism and as such the need of the hour is to restore peace, it added.
"In other words, the message of 'Shand' should reverberate across the state," the MLA quartet stressed and further emphasised that the 'separate administrative unit' from Manipur state demanded by 10 MLAs belonging to a particular community is not acceptable on the ground that such demand will lead to a direct challenge to the unity and integrity of Manipur.
"We therefore appeal to all to refrain from such provocative statements in the larger interest of Manipur," the statement further conveyed.
Meanwhile, Uripok MLA Kh Raghu - mani called upon all sections of the society to work for restoration of peace and harmony.
He also appealed to the media fraternity to contribute their mite in spreading message of peace.
The MLA was speaking during the flagging off of "Team Raghumani Relief Camp Donation" to provide essential materials at relief centres opened in different parts of the state, at his Uripok Kabrabam Leikai residence on Sunday MLA Raghumani further stated that the communal violence in the state affected allcommunities settling in the state and hoped that such incidents do not recur in future.
The MLA further informed that many people displaced due to the communal violence are taking shelter in relief camps opened in his constituency including at Lamboikhongnangkhong and Uripok Gopalji community hall.
The "Team Raghumani Relief Camp Donation" will provide relief materials to the displaced people staying at Kadangband Part I and Mayanglangjing relief camps, he added.