New Delhi, March 1: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a crucial security review meeting on Saturday to assess the law and order situation in violence-hit Manipur. The meeting focused heavily on restoring normalcy and facilitating the surrender of illegal and looted weapons currently held by various groups, according to official sources.
This review marks the first high-level security meeting since President's rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The northeastern state has been plagued by ethnic unrest since May 2023, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 250 lives.
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, alongside senior officials from the Manipur state administration, Indian Army, and paramilitary forces, attended the session, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
Focus on Restoring Pre-May 2023 Normalcy
Sources indicate that the primary agenda was to expedite the return of peace to levels experienced before the outbreak of ethnic violence last May. A significant component of this effort is the surrender of thousands of arms looted from police and other security agencies during the initial phase of the unrest.Following an earlier directive by Governor Bhalla, the state had initially set February 20 as the deadline for the surrender of illegal weapons. The ultimatum resulted in more than 300 firearms being voluntarily surrendered, notably including 246 weapons from the Meitei radical group, Arambai Tenggol, mainly in the valley districts.
Responding to public appeals from both hill and valley communities, Governor Bhalla extended this deadline to March 6, 2025, providing an additional window until 4 PM for arms to be handed over peacefully.
Governor Bhalla's Active Engagement in Peace Initiatives
Since taking office as Governor on January 3, 2025, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, a former Union Home Secretary closely associated with Amit Shah until August 2024, has proactively engaged with various community representatives and stakeholders in the state. His mandate, directly entrusted by the Union Home Minister, has been clear—restore normalcy and stability to the conflict-affected region.Bhalla has chaired numerous meetings to gather feedback and devise actionable strategies for effective security management, aiming to quell ongoing tensions.
Roots of the Ethnic Violence
The prolonged conflict in Manipur erupted following a "Tribal Solidarity March" held in the hill districts last May. The march was organized to oppose the Meitei community’s demands for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, sparking violence that rapidly escalated into widespread ethnic clashes.Despite sustained efforts by the central government to initiate dialogue among the conflicting groups, lasting peace remains elusive in Manipur. Continuous interventions, such as the recent security review led by Home Minister Shah, underscore the central government's commitment to resolving this complex ethnic conflict and restoring enduring peace.
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