After insurgents set fire to his home in Imphal’s Kongba neighbourhood on Thursday night, Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh expressed regret on Friday and said that Manipur’s law and order situation has failed.
Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh claimed that he had built his home with prayers and was perplexed as to why it had been attacked.
“Someone tries to vandalize it, demolish, I feel shocked. I never expect such kind of attitude and activities from my fellow citizens of this state. I pray to God also not to happen again. This is the second time, the first time, I anyhow convinced them and the security protected…. that was in early evening. This time yesterday it was late night, around 10:30. Everything was normal, suddenly crowds of people came and attacked, I was told,” Singh told the sources.
The minister, who is from Kerala, claimed that when the house caught fire, the fire crews were prevented from getting in because of obstructions made by individuals.
“I do not know why they are attacking. There is no reason. In the whole process, I am trying to bring the peace, negotiating…my senior ministers and colleagues to bring normalcy in the state. In the meanwhile, this kind of unwanted incident happened. If my sons and daughters and family happens to be here…that burning and throwing of petrol, it seems to attempt on my life also,” he said.
“Law and order condition in Manipur is a total failure. The existing government could not maintain peace that’s why the central government has sent a lot of protections and Rapid Action Force. I don’t know how the state mechanism is failure, I feel like that,” he added.
The minister had told the sources earlier that about 50 miscreants had attacked his house.
He said,”It is extremely sad to see what happened last night. I was told that more than 50 miscreants attacked my home. Damage has been done to the ground floor and the first floor of my residence. Neither me or anybody from my family was present during that time. Thankfully, nobody got injured.”
According to the minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called and let him know that he was out of the country.
Singh, a member of the Meiti community, has been working to bring peace to Manipur, which has seen interethnic conflict.
“An eye for an eye will make the whole world go blind. Violence doesn’t help any cause. Those who are indulging in this violence are doing a huge disservice to the nation. It also reflects that they are enemies of humanity,” Singh told the sources.
On Wednesday, there were nine fatalities and over ten injuries in new violence in Manipur. The state government has prolonged the internet blackout in the state through June 20.
Earlier before on June 14, In Imphal East, nine people lost their lives and more than ten others suffered injuries.
On Wednesday, vandals attempted to set fire to Manipur minister Nemcha Kipgen’s residence in Imphal West. There is some burn damage to his home.
On May 29, During his four-day trip, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with the state’s chief executive, N Biren Singh, as well as representatives of the civil society, women’s groups, tribal organisations, and security personnel.
A state peace commission would be established, according to Shah’s announcement. Days following the Home Minister’s declaration, the committee was established.
Why is Manipur burning and violence is becoming so destructive?
The conflict stems from the Meitei people’s long-standing quest for Scheduled Tribe designation under the Indian Constitution, which would grant them rights similar to those enjoyed other tribal communities.
A Manipur High Court ruling from April required the state administration to decide on the matter, ideally within four weeks. The Meitei demand was opposed by the tribal groups. All hill districts participated in a solidarity march organised by the All Tribal Student Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on 3 May.
Conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted in and around the Churachandpur district, which borders the Imphal Valley, by the end of March.
On 3 May 2023; A protest between the Meitei people, who make up the majority in the Imphal Valley, and the tribal group from the nearby hills, which includes the Kuki and Zo peoples, resulted in an ethnic clash in the north-eastern state of Manipur in India.
Since the High Court ordered the state administration to consider adding the Meitei group to the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs), ethnic violence has persisted in the state for more than a month.
To stop the bloodshed, central paramilitary forces were stationed in the state, and they are still there today.
Although the national government opposed such a withdrawal, the Manipur Cabinet resolved in March to end the Suspension of Operation agreements with three Kuki militant organisations, including the Kuki National Army and the Zomi Revolutionary Army.
Additionally, a number of Manipuri organisations protested in New Delhi to demand the creation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) with 1951 as the basis year, citing the anomalous population growth in hill regions.
When demonstrators clashed in the Kangpokpi area during a rally against the encroachment of tribal land in the pretext of reserved forests, protected forests, and wildlife sanctuaries, five people were harmed. This was the first instance of violence.
The state cabinet, however, declared that the government will not relent in its efforts to safeguard the state’s natural resources and to end the growing of poppies.
On 11 April; Three churches in the Tribal Colony neighbourhood of Imphal were demolished because they were “illegal constructions” on government property.
On 20 April 2023; The state administration was given the order to consider the Meitei community’s request to be included in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list by a judge of the Manipur High Court. The Kukis were concerned that the Meiteis would be able to buy land in the forbidding steep areas thanks to the ST classification.
At least 98 individuals have died and more than 300 others have been injured as of June 14.