Guwahati, May 09: The ongoing violence in Manipur has led to the postponement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Assam from May 11 to May 26, as announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Shah’s visit was planned as a part of the Assam government’s celebration of completing two years in power. Meanwhile, the Assam government will hand over appointment letters to 45,000 new recruits on May 26, said Sarma.
The ongoing violence in Manipur has left over 13,000 people displaced and at least 54 people killed after clashes broke out earlier this month between tribals and members of the majority Meitei community in the northeastern state. The local administration is providing migrants with adequate food, shelter, and security.
“We have provided safe shelter to around 2,000 families of Manipur, most of them are from the Jiribam district. We are hopeful that they will start returning home from tomorrow because normalcy is returning there (in Manipur),” Sarma said.
The Cachar district administration officials said that so far eight shelter camps have been made in the Lakhipur area, while some temporary camps are also there in the Sonai assembly constituency.
Authorities have relocated over 2,250 residents from violence-hit Manipur to Assam in the past three days, with around 300 of them moving towards Mizoram.
Also Read: Potential Cyclone Alert: Low Pressure Forming in Southeast Bay of Bengal, May Intensify on May 10
According to Cachar district deputy commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha, they provide adequate food and water to the refugees. The police department is providing adequate security, and senior officials are visiting the camps, he said.
Md. Achab Uddin, MLA from Jiribam, visited the areas of Assam where Manipur residents have shifted. He said that they left their homes mostly because of rumors. “I visited the disturbed areas; there was not much violence. People were afraid that violence from Churachandpur and surrounding areas might spread there,” he said.
The Manipur MLA said that things are getting back to normal in the state. The Indian army and other security forces are dealing with the situation efficiently, and the people who migrated will be able to return home in a few days.
On Sunday, former Lakhipur MLA, Rajdeep Goala, visited the camps and arranged additional food and water for the centers. He said that apart from the adequate supply of essentials by the government, local NGOs are supporting the migrants.
The situation in Manipur has been tense since the clashes broke out between the Meitei and tribal communities earlier this month. The violence escalated, leading to a curfew being imposed in various parts of the state.
The Indian Army and Assam Rifles have been working tirelessly to restore normalcy and have rescued over 23,000 civilians from different parts of Manipur, moving them to their own operating bases/military garrisons.
Amidst curfew timings being relaxed in Churachandpur for three hours from 7-10 AM, flag marches are being conducted by the army. 120-125 army and Assam Rifles columns have been working tirelessly for the past 96 hours to rescue civilians, curb violence, and restore normalcy, and no major violence has been reported.
The past 24 hours have also witnessed the army significantly enhancing surveillance efforts through aerial surveillance, movement of UAVs, and redeployment of army helicopters within Imphal Valley.
The situation in Manipur remains tense, but with the efforts of the Indian Army and local administration, normalcy is slowly being restored, and residents who were displaced are expected to return home soon.
