Solution to Manipur crisis likely in 2-3 months: Biren Singh

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Friday that Manipur is a top priority for the Modi government and that a solution to the ongoing crisis in the state will likely be achieved within the next 2-3 months.

Manipur is battling ethnic strife for more than a year now.

Talking to media persons in Imphal on Friday, Singh said that violence continues in some areas due to a lack of security personnel, but the situation is improving as security forces which were taken out of the state for general election duties have come back and have been redeployed in vulnerable areas. "Now, the situation will be better," he added.

Singh said that there is a remarkable decrease in the violence across the state. "Though it is said that Manipur violence is 14 months old, the actual crisis persisted for only 6-7 months. Despite some incidents in a few places, schools and business establishments across the state have opened, indicating a return to normalcy. The actual crisis occurred in only 6-7 months, suggesting that the other 7 months were peaceful as schools and business establishments were functioning," he said. He stated, "The unrest in Northeast India is due to influx and drug menace from areas outside the region. Treating the situation will be easier once the route is identified."

Singh said that resolving the violence in Manipur is a top priority for the Narendra Modi 3.0 administration. Home Minister Amit Shah has been actively involved, holding high-security meetings and gathering necessary details to formulate an action plan. "I hope that a solution is achieved within 2-3 months," he said.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Manipur and sought to increase central forces strategic deployment to restore peace in the state. The central forces were withdrawn from Manipur for deployment in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

With Jiribam district in Manipur continuing to be restive, additional CRPF troopers have been deployed in the interior areas of its Borobekra subdivision. Tension gripped the area after the killing of a 59-year-old farmer on June 6.