NEW DELHI: India has said that the violence in Manipur is its internal matter after the European Parliament decided to have a session on the issue during its ongoing plenary session in Strasbourg.
"We are aware of this and have reached out to the concerned Parliamentarians. We have made it clear that it is India's internal matter," said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
The Manipur matter has been scheduled for discussion for the latter half of the day, under the subject 'Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law'.
A motion for a resolution was tabled in the EU Parliament by six parliamentary groups. The groups of parliamentarians range from the Left, European Socialists and Greens to regionalist parties, Conservatives and centre-right political and Christian groups.
The MEA refrained on commenting on whether the Indian government had hired a European lobbying firm to counter this move.
According to reports, a Brussels based firm Alber and Geiger has been engaged by the Indian government, but there is no confirmation on this.
Meanwhile, 31 MLAs from Manipur have urged Home Minister Amit Shah to expedite the ongoing work of border fencing on the India-Myanmar border in the state to prevent cross-border movements of militants which they say has triggered the violence in the state since May 3.
The violence involving ethnic communities in Manipur is said to have claimed 142 lives until July 4, according to the state government. Around 181 people have been arrested and 6745 people put under preventive detention.
Among the hill districts, the most casualties were reported from Churachandpur – which has been the epicentre of the clashes.
There are 16 districts in Manipur, but the state is perceived as being divided into valley and hill districts. While the Meitei community dominates the valley, the hills are home to two major tribal groups – the Nagas and Kuki-Zomi tribes.