ST report to be sent only after consensus : CM recalls telling HAC
'Only entrusted with convening UC meeting'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 29 2024: Chief Minister N Biren Singh Singh has said that legislators of Manipur have started meeting and communicating with members of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) to resolve the crisis in Manipur which will complete the tenth month in a couple of days.

The Chief Minister made the statement while seeking support from all to restore normalcy in Manipur on the second day of the Assembly session which will go on till March 5 .

The Chief Minister also informed the House that he is only allowed to convene meetings of the Unified Command after all responsibility pertaining to security measures was entrusted to the Security Advisor.

ST report to be sent only after consensus : CM recalls telling HAC

Responding to a question, N Biren Singh said that the House, the Government and he personally condemn whoever instigates the violence in the State.

On the ST for Meiteis demand, the Chief Minister said that the members of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) approached him following the judgment of the High Court of Manipur dated March 27, 2023 which asked the State Government to send the recommendation.

Saying that the HAC proposed the Government to not send the recommendation for the moment 'as the matter was under discussion,' the Chief Minister continued that the Government gave its assurance to the HAC that it will not proceed anything pertaining to the demand to give ST tag to the Meeteis until some agreement is worked out.

The HAC team left after they were convinced that the Government will approach the High Court to extend the period given to send the recommendation, he added.

Saying that the Government thought the rally of ATSUM was to simply register their protest against the High Court ruling, N Biren added that the Government didn't anticipate the political agenda behind the rally which became violent in certain areas.

The rally began at Moreh at around 9.45 am of May 3 last while the arson of the Forest office in Churachandpur took place on the same day at around 10.30 am, he recounted and admitted that the lack of coordination among the security forces due to the huge turn out of rally supporters led to the escalation of the violence in some places.

He also said that the Vice President came to Imphal on that day but his programme was shortened due to the violence.

Saying that the Government tried its best to contain the violence after the Vice President left, N Biren said that some sort of normalcy has been restored in Manipur with the support of the people.

Why were the innocent people targeted when demand, if any, has to be raised to the Government, he wondered.

Saying that the situation seen in Imphal after the ATSUM's rally turned violent was a reaction, he said that it is important for all the people to understand how the violence broke out in the first place.

It is disheartening to see so many people rendered homeless and many others killed, he continued.

The Chief Minister recalled that the Security Advisor to the State Government was sent on May 4, while Chief Secretary and DGP were changed on May 7 and June 1 respectively and the leadership of Unified Command was officially taken away from him as the Government of India takes the violence in Manipur as an ethnic conflict.

The Chief Minister said that he is only allowed to convene meetings of the security forces after all responsibility pertaining to security measures was entrusted to the Security Advisor.

Saying that 42 SITs have been constituted to probe the violence in Manipur, he continued that 38 cases have been handed over to CBI while 13 others are being probed by NIA of the 10,023 cases taken up.

Security forces have recovered 1757 arms and 22,707 numbers of ammunition from among the looted weapons and ammos, he informed the House and added that the State armouries now are being guarded by Central forces.

Transportation of goods and essentials is still underway along National Highway 37 with the help of security forces, the Chief Minister conveyed and added that mortal remains of the majority of those killed in the course of the violence have been entrusted to their respective families.