The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, moved a statutory resolution in the Rajya Sabha for the approval of the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. The resolution was thereafter adopted by the Upper House.
Introducing the resolution, Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that no-confidence was not brought against the Manipur government because the opposition did not have enough members to bring such a proposal.
Amit Shah also mentioned that the CM of his party resigned, after which the Governor held discussions with 37 Members of Legislative Assembly from BJP, 6 from NPP, 5 from NPF, 1 from JD(U), and 5 from Congress. When most of the members expressed that they were not in a position to form a government, the Cabinet recommended the imposition of President’s Rule, which was accepted by the President.
He mentioned that President’s Rule was imposed on February 13, 2025, while there has been no violence in Manipur since December 2024 until today. He urged that such misconceptions should not be spread.
Shah pointed out that if we refer to the situation seven years ago, when the opposition government was in power in Manipur, on average, the state experienced 200 days of strikes, blockades, and curfews in a year, and more than 1,000 people were killed in encounters. He also noted that during that time, the then Prime Minister had not visited Manipur.
Union Home Minister said that there is a difference between ethnic violence and Naxalism. He said that when violence occurs between two communities, the approach to dealing with it is different from dealing with Naxals, who are armed and stand against the government and the people of the country. He mentioned that the opposition fails to distinguish between these two forms of violence. Shri Shah emphasized that this is a very sensitive issue, and politics should not be happened on it.
He pointed out that in Bengal, women in areas like Sandeshkhali had been mistreated for hundreds of years, but the opposition did nothing, and similarly, nothing was done in the RG Kar case. He said that this double standard cannot last for long. The Home Minister also mentioned that 260 people had died in ethnic violence in Manipur, but in Bengal, nearly 250 people were killed in election-related violence alone. He said that the opposition wants to teach them a lesson by winning two seats, but the people of the country have consistently taught the opposition a lesson in the last three general elections.
Amit Shah noted that between 2004 and 2014, there were 11,327 violent incidents in the Northeast, but in the ten years of the Modi government, these incidents have reduced by 70 percent, dropping to 3,428. He further mentioned that there has been a 70 percent decrease in the death of security forces and an 85 percent reduction in civilian casualties. Shri Shah highlighted that the Modi government has signed 20 peace agreements in the Northeast, and over 10,000 youths have surrendered their weapons and embraced peace.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that 260 people have been killed in the ethnic violence in Manipur so far, and 70 percent of the deaths occurred in the first 15 days. He emphasized that this is not the first time ethnic violence has occurred in Manipur. Shri Shah informed the House that between 1993 and 1998, there was a five-year Naga-Kuki conflict in Manipur, which resulted in 750 deaths, and sporadic incidents continued for a decade.
He pointed out that the then Prime Minister did not visit the state during that period. In 1997-98, the Kuki-Paite conflict took place, which led to the destruction of more than 50 villages, the displacement of 13 thousand people, 352 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and the burning of 5,000 homes. Shri Shah further mentioned that in 1993, during the six-month-long Meitei-Pangal conflict, more than 100 people were killed. Even during these violent incidents, the then Prime Minister did not visit Manipur. He added that while his party did not politicize the violence at that time, today the opposition is exacerbating Manipur’s wounds by making political jabs.
Shri Amit Shah said that before the order of the Manipur High Court, there was not a single day of strikes or curfews in the seven years of governance in Manipur, and no violence had occurred. He said that the ethnic violence between the tribal and non-tribal communities in Manipur began due to a decision by the High Court. He said that this violence was neither a failure of the government nor terrorism or religious conflict, but rather ethnic violence arising from the sense of insecurity spread between two communities due to the interpretation of the High Court’s decision. He further mentioned that the very next day, the Supreme Court stayed the order because it was deemed unconstitutional.
Source: manipur-update.com