Shah calls meeting to review Manipur situation
New Delhi (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Monday review the security situation in Manipur which has been witnessing ethnic violence for over a year.
Senior officials from the central and state governments and other security forces will attend the high-level meeting, officials said.
On Sunday, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey had called on Shah here and is believed to have discussed the prevailing situation in the Northeastern state.
Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 after a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts of the state to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Since then, over 220 people belonging to both Kuki and Meitei communities and security personnel have been killed in the continuing violence.
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Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.
On June 10, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern over peace eluding Manipur even after one year and said the situation in the strife-torn north eastern state must be considered with priority.
Addressing a gathering of RSS trainees in Nagpur, he said, "Manipur is waiting for peace for the last one year. There was peace in Manipur 10 years ago. It felt like gun culture had finished there. But the state has suddenly seen violence".
Bhagwat said the situation in Manipur will have to be considered with priority and there is need to get over election rhetoric and focus on problems facing the nation.
"The unrest either got triggered or was triggered, but Manipur is burning and people are facing its extreme heat", the RSS chief had said.
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Top Akali Dal leaders hold separate meeting, seek change in party leadership
Chandigarh: A rebellion seems to be brewing in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after a section of senior leaders held a separate meeting in Jalandhar and skipped a meeting called by party president Sukhbir Badal in Chandigarh.
The rebel leaders spoke on the need for a change in the party following SAD's poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections, while addressing a press conference after their meeting in Jalandhar,
Among those present at the rebel meeting were Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sikander Singh Maluka, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, and Sarwan Singh Phillaur. They announced plans to launch a 'SAD Bachao' movement next month.
"It was discussed seriously as to why Akali Dal has become so weak... We have fallen from the sky to the ground. A change in the party is necessary," said Prem Singh Chandumajra.
Another rebel leader, Bibi Jagir Kaur, accused Sukhbir Singh Badal of ignoring party leaders. "All supporters of SAD are worried about how to rise back from the situation in which we are. We have tried to speak to the party chief (Sukhbir Singh Badal) but he never listens to us. He does not try to rectify the shortcomings," Kaur said, as quoted by ANI.
"We are worried about why the people of Punjab are not accepting us... We will go to the Akal Takht Sahib on July 1 and ask for forgiveness for the losses that occurred because of our silence," she added.
Meanwhile, Sukhbir Badal held a meeting with district presidents and other leaders in Chandigarh to review the party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
The SAD managed to secure only one of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in the elections, with their vote share plummeting to 13.42 percent from 27.45 percent in 2019.
Responding to the rebel leaders' meeting in Jalandhar, the Akali Dal described the dissenters as "frustrated elements sponsored by the BJP" trying to "weaken" the party.
Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema remarked that the rebel leaders should have waited for the working committee meeting on June 26 before holding a separate meeting. "In a democracy, there is always a difference of opinion... If one or two people have a difference of opinion, then it is not a revolt," Cheema stated.
"The meeting of the working committee is on June 26. If you express your opinion before the meeting, then that becomes doubtful. It looks preplanned. It looks as if you are not interested in the improvement or the upliftment of the party, and you said something just because you wanted to. Otherwise, there was a need to wait. They should have participated and listened to what others had to say. After that, they could have presented their view," Cheema added, according to ANI.
