GUWAHATI: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has called for divine intervention to restore peace in the conflict-hit state, urging Haj pilgrims departing from Imphal to pray for stability.
Extending wishes to pilgrims who left Imphal for Kolkata for their onward journey to Madinah, Saudi Arabia, Singh appealed to them to seek the blessings of the Almighty for lasting peace in Manipur.
“During this difficult time, where unwanted incidents have occurred in Manipur, the pilgrims should offer prayers to the Almighty and seek His blessings in our collective endeavour to establish a peaceful Manipur,” the Chief Minister said while seeing off the pilgrims at the Imphal International airport on Thursday.
Altogether 379 people, mostly from the Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) community, have been selected for the Haj pilgrimage under the Manipur State Haj Committee this year. The first batch of 172 pilgrims left for Kolkata on Wednesday and the remaining 207 pilgrims departed on Thursday.
Several legislators attended the see-off programme which was organised by the state's Directorate of Minority Affairs. After he was appointed the Chief Minister on February 4 this year, Singh visited different parts of the state and met the leaders of various communities to restore peace but the violence has continued, although intermittently.
A series of violent incidents occurred, particularly in the Naga-majority Ukhrul district, since February, which claimed several lives. Lives were lost also in the Imphal Valley. The recent killings of two children in a bomb attack in the Bishnupur district had triggered widespread protests in the valley.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the Manipur situation, often portrayed as a conflict among its indigenous communities, did not reflect the ground reality.“The people of Manipur have a long history of coexistence, where recognised Scheduled Tribes (except for one tribe whose case is presently under review), Meiteis, Meitei Pangals, and individuals from other parts of India have lived together with mutual respect and harmony,” he said.
He further stated that the present concerns arose from issues linked to “undocumented and illegal infiltration” from across international borders. “…The challenge before us is not internal division, but the need to safeguard the demographic balance, land rights, and security of the state in a lawful and measured manner. Once the issue of illegal infiltration is effectively addressed through due process, many of the present tensions are expected to subside, restoring the natural equilibrium that has long defined Manipur’s society,” he further stated in a long post on X.
