Will report situation to Amit Shah: Himanta Biswa
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 10 2023: Assam chief minister Hi-manta Biswa Sarnia confided that he will report to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the prevailing situation in Manipur.

Himanta Biswa, who is also the convenor of BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance, met N Biren and deliberated on the issues besieging the state.

The Assam CM arrived here on Saturday morning from Gu-wahati to discuss the situation in Manipur where sporadic violence has been continuing a month after ethnic clashes broke out on May 3."During my stay here, I met the honourable chief minister, his cabinet colleagues, our par-ty leaders and civil society or-ganisations.

For us, peace and stability in Manipur are very, very important.

Whatever I have learnt during the day, I will re-port the same to the honourable Union Home Minister for further necessary actions," Sarma told reporters.

Shah had visited Manipur from May 29 to June 1 to take stock of the situation.

A senior BJP leader who was present at the meeting between the two chief ministers said, "We highlighted the issues of the state concerning the violence.

Himanta Biswa Sarma assured us he will work at his level best to restore peace in Manipur." The leader, who did not want to be quoted, told PTI: "Sarma said the Manipur BJP should not hesitate to ask what is needed and he will make sure those re-quirements are met." Representatives of COCOMI, a civil society organisation, were also present at the meeting.

"The Assam chief minister expressed condolences for the lives lost and said he will do whatever is needed to restore peace," COCOMI media coordi-nator Khuraijam Athouba said.

After the meeting, he went to a hotel, where he met some leaders of several Civil Society Organi-sations, besides some MLAs and key leaders, in an effort to tame the ethnic hostilities.

According to political analysts, Sarma, who is close to the Union Home Minister, was carrying a message from Delhi to find a solution to the ethnic violence by involving all stakeholders.

There were reports that Shah might once again visit Manipur to curb the violence and restore peace and normalcy.

Himanta's visit came nine days after Amit Shah's four-day visit to the state.

Meanwhile, amid sporadic incidents of violence, the Ma-nipur government on Satur-day extended the suspension of Internet services for the eighth time till June 15, to prevent the spread of rumours and videos, photos, and mes-sages, which might affect the law and order situation.

Various Kuki tribal organi-sations continue to block the I mphal -Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Manipur, creating a serious problem of transporting essentials, food grains, transport fuel, and life-saving drugs.

Though the state govern-ment with security escorts has been trying to ferry var-ious essentials from different parts of the country through the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (along southern Assam), the NH-2 (via Na-galand) is considered as the lifeline for Manipur.

Mention may be made that a three-member Commis-sion of Inquiry, set up by the MHA on June 4 to probe the violence, arrived m Imphal on Friday.

The Commission under the chairmanship of the Gauhati High Court's for-mer Chief Justice Ajai Lam-ba would soon start their probe.

The MHA asked the probe panel to submit its report to the Central government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting.

Former IAS officer Hi-manshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar are the other two members of the Com-mission.

(With inputs from Agencies) .

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