GUWAHATI: The Manipur government on Wednesday evening suspended “mobile data services” for five days across the state as tensions ran high following sporadic incidents of violence.
Miscreants vandalised and torched some houses at Torbung on the border of the Bishnupur-Churachandpur districts as a spurt in fresh violence has been reported in Manipur. Violence also occurred in the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh.
The situation remained tense following a tribal solidarity march taken out by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) against the demand for inclusion of Meitei community in the ST category.
In an order, the state’s Home Commissioner H Gyan Prakash said the ATSUM had organized a rally in all hill districts with total shutdown from 6 am to 4 pm.
“…there are reports of incidents like fighting amongst volunteers/youths of different communities and situation is tense and volatile in the districts of Bishnupur and Churachandpur,” Prakash said.
He said as some anti-social elements were circulating images, hate speeches and hate video messages through social media, thereby inciting the passions of the public and there is an imminent danger of loss of life and damage to property, the government decided to suspend mobile data services.
Minister and government spokesman Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh told a news channel that the state government was trying to solve the issue.
“As far as the reports we received, there was an altercation between two communities in the area joining Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts. The government is trying to settle the issue,” Singh said.
“I hope peace prevails and misunderstanding, if any, is resolved at the earliest. We are one,” he said, adding, “It is up to the Centre to take a decision on the demand for ST.”
The “Tribal Solidarity March” was taken out in the state’s all ten hill districts.
Thousands of tribals had turned up at the solidarity march. Earlier, the ATSUM said the rally was organised to register a protest against “persistent demand of Meitei community for inclusion in ST category and the support to this by valley legislators” and “the need for taking appropriate measures to collectively protect tribal interests.”
On the other hand, the Meiteis, who make up over 50% of the state’s population, say their inclusion in the ST category will give them, among others, equal rights on land.
Currently, the tribals can buy land in the Imphal valley, which is around 10% of Manipur, but people belonging to the Meitei community cannot do so in the hills.