SEOUL: While referring to the escalating violence, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said what happened in the northeastern Manipur state of the country is “truly tragic” while underlining that the entire people of India wish to see normalcy return to the state.
Speaking to the Indian community during his visit to Seoul, South Korea, Jaishankar emphasized the need for law and order to be restored in Manipur.
The violence in Manipur erupted following protests by the Meitei community against the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the Kuki community. Since May 3, 2023, clashes between the two communities have resulted in 219 casualties.
Modi Govt Failed to Address Manipur Violence
Addressing concerns about the situation, Jaishankar acknowledged the challenges posed by the open border with Myanmar and highlighted India’s decision to suspend the previous arrangement allowing travel up to 16 km without travel documents. He expressed regret over the need to harden border security but emphasized its necessity given the circumstances.
The unprecedented violence that has turned large parts of Manipur in India’s Northeast into a state of unrest this year shows no signs of abating, even after nearly eight months.
The precarious situation stems from the deliberate refusal or inability of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to not only dismiss Chief Minister (CM) Biren Singh, who also holds the State’s Home Minister portfolio, for his abject failure to establish law and order, but also impose President’s rule in the State to address the major cause of structural violence.
