Amit Shah to hold rally, campaign in strife-torn Manipur today
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will campaign and hold a rally in strife-torn Manipur on Monday, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to reports, Shah reached Agartala, Tripura at 9pm on Sunday. He is scheduled to address a rally for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat at Kumarghat in Unakoti district. After this, he will head to Imphal, Manipur, according to Shah's schedule.
Why does this story matter?
Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic violence that erupted between the majority Meiteis and the tribal Kukis last year on May 3 over the former's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis, who constitute 53% of the state's population, are concerned regarding the "influx of illegal immigrants" from Bangladesh and Myanmar. Meanwhile, tribals like Nagas and Kukis are worried about losing their ancestral lands. Over 200 people have been killed in the conflict, and over 50,000 have been displaced.
Amit Shah to campaign in Manipur following Tripura rally
In Manipur, the Union minister will hold meetings with Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Manipur BJP President A Sharda Devi and other party leaders. He will also lead the campaign for BJP's Imphal candidate Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh. Thounaojam is also the education minister of Manipur. The Imphal seat is currently held by BJP leader and Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
BJP's strategy amidst Manipur's ethnic unrest
The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha segment—where Shah is campaigning—encompasses 32 assembly constituencies within the conflict-affected Imphal valley. The BJP has not fielded candidates from the Outer Manipur segment; it will extend support to candidates nominated by the Naga People's Front—its National Democratic Alliance partner. To recall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently praised Shah's active involvement in "improving" Manipur's situation. The PM said that Shah was "stationed in Manipur during peak conflict" and conducted "meetings with stakeholders" to facilitate resolution.
PM's Modi interview
Last week in an interview with the Assam Tribune, the PM said that the timely intervention by the state and central government led to the marked improvement in the violence-hit north-eastern state. He also detailed how the Centre has consistently offered necessary support to the state government during this crisis." Notably, several opposition parties have raised concerns about PM's "absence" from the strife-torn northeastern state. PM Modi has not visited the state since the outbreak of the ethnic violence.