GUWAHATI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit ethnic violence-hit Manipur in the first week of October during which he will lay the foundation stone for the Senapati Medical College and oversee other developmental projects, according to the chief minister’s office (CMO).
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh met Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday and discussed a range of issues. The meeting comes at a time when Meitei and Naga organisations are intensifying the demand for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens before Census and delimitation exercises in the state, and violence affecting Naga and Kuki communities is occurring intermittently. A group of Manipur legislators had travelled to Delhi to raise the demand with Central leaders.
During the meeting, Shah reportedly assured Singh that the Centre would fulfil the wishes of the people of Manipur. “Amit Shah gave a patient hearing to all the issues relating to the state as raised by Khemchand Singh.
The Union home minister then informed the Manipur chief minister that the Central government will fulfil the aspirations of the people of Manipur,” the Manipur CMO said in a statement.
“Shah has agreed to lay the foundation stone for the medical college in the Naga-majority Senapati district,” it said. A decision on the establishment of the college was taken by the Manipur cabinet recently.
The statement said that Shah lauded the Manipur government for its success in the resumption of the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service and for ensuring free movement on the National Highway 2. This would be Shah’s first visit to Manipur since April 15, 2024, when he addressed a Lok Sabha election rally in Imphal.
Before that he visited the state from May 29 to June 1, 2023, soon after the outbreak of violence. During that visit, Shah met representatives of different communities, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
At least 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since May 2023 due to ethnic violence between the valley-based Meiteis and the Kukis who live in the hill districts of Manipur.
The Manipur CM also met Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Singh requested the Union minister to help the development and welfare of minority communities in the state. He sought help from the Minority Affairs Ministry on developmental projects.
