IMPHAL/GUWAHATI: Union home minister Amit Shah wrapped up his four-day visit to Manipur with a key decision to put the state under an inter-agency unified command structure for “unbiased coordination” among different security forces. The move coincided with the governor’s order replacing the state police chief, IPS officer P Doungel, a Kuki, with CRPF IG Rajiv Singh, a 1993 Tripura cadre IPS officer, as the new director general of police (DGP) of the state.
Shah also squarely blamed Manipur high court for delivering a “hasty” order on ST status demand by Meities, saying it led to the mayhem. “Without any hesitation I can say that because of a hasty decision by Manipur high court on April 29, the ethnic clashes and violence between two groups started.”
Shah said a judicial commission will be set up under the chairmanship of retired Chief Justice of high court to investigate the Manipur violence and a separate investigation by a special team of CBI into five identified cases from all registered cases and one case of general conspiracy.
“The cause of the violence will be investigated without any bias and discrimination and strict action will be taken to punish the guilty to prevent such incidents,” Shah said.
Appealing to the people of Manipur not to pay heed to rumours and maintain peace, Shah said a peace committee would also be constituted under the chairmanship of the governor of Manipur, in which representatives of all sections would be included.
Speaking on the security arrangement in the state, Shah said, “In Manipur now, several agencies are working from the security point of view.”
He added, “For better and unbiased coordination among them an interagency unified command structure under the chairmanship of state security adviser and former CRPF DG, Kuldeip Singh, will come into force from today.”
To a query on demand by 10 Kuki legislators, which include seven from BJP, for a separate administrative unit for Kuki-inhabited hills of the state, Shah said, “The central government had cleared its stand on Manipur’s territorial integrity earlier. I don’t want to make any statement to sensationalise the issue and make headlines.” Shah also asked those with illegal weapons to surrender them to police immediately by Thursday “because from tomorrow the combing operations will be launched in search of these weapons”.
As the Meiteis point the finger at the Kuki militant groups in ceasefire behind the violence, Shah said any kind of violation of the Suspension of Operation Agreement will be dealt with strictly and treated as a breach of the agreement. On the largely unfenced porous Indo-Myanmar border that is seen as the easy way for militants and drugs and arms smugglers, Shah said, “The trial work on fencing of 10km along the Myanmar- Manipur border has been completed by the Centre, while the tendering process for 80 km fencing work is also completed and the survey for fencing on the remaining border area is under way.”
He said the biometric and eye impressions of people coming from neighbouring countries are also being taken.
Shah also squarely blamed Manipur high court for delivering a “hasty” order on ST status demand by Meities, saying it led to the mayhem. “Without any hesitation I can say that because of a hasty decision by Manipur high court on April 29, the ethnic clashes and violence between two groups started.”
Shah said a judicial commission will be set up under the chairmanship of retired Chief Justice of high court to investigate the Manipur violence and a separate investigation by a special team of CBI into five identified cases from all registered cases and one case of general conspiracy.
“The cause of the violence will be investigated without any bias and discrimination and strict action will be taken to punish the guilty to prevent such incidents,” Shah said.
Appealing to the people of Manipur not to pay heed to rumours and maintain peace, Shah said a peace committee would also be constituted under the chairmanship of the governor of Manipur, in which representatives of all sections would be included.
Speaking on the security arrangement in the state, Shah said, “In Manipur now, several agencies are working from the security point of view.”
He added, “For better and unbiased coordination among them an interagency unified command structure under the chairmanship of state security adviser and former CRPF DG, Kuldeip Singh, will come into force from today.”
To a query on demand by 10 Kuki legislators, which include seven from BJP, for a separate administrative unit for Kuki-inhabited hills of the state, Shah said, “The central government had cleared its stand on Manipur’s territorial integrity earlier. I don’t want to make any statement to sensationalise the issue and make headlines.” Shah also asked those with illegal weapons to surrender them to police immediately by Thursday “because from tomorrow the combing operations will be launched in search of these weapons”.
As the Meiteis point the finger at the Kuki militant groups in ceasefire behind the violence, Shah said any kind of violation of the Suspension of Operation Agreement will be dealt with strictly and treated as a breach of the agreement. On the largely unfenced porous Indo-Myanmar border that is seen as the easy way for militants and drugs and arms smugglers, Shah said, “The trial work on fencing of 10km along the Myanmar- Manipur border has been completed by the Centre, while the tendering process for 80 km fencing work is also completed and the survey for fencing on the remaining border area is under way.”
He said the biometric and eye impressions of people coming from neighbouring countries are also being taken.