Team News Riveting
New Delhi, June 24
The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah solicited cooperation of all the political parties to restore normalcy in the violence-hit Manipur at the earliest.
Shah on Saturday convened an all-party meeting to review the situation in Manipur. Sources said the Opposition parties sought an all-party delegation visit to the northeastern state. However, the Union government remained non-committal, sources said. Eighteen political parties including the BJP and four MPs from northeast and two chief ministers from the region attended the meeting.
While the Congress demanded immediate sacking of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the Samajwadi Party and a few others sought imposition of President’s rule in the state that has witnessed sporadic violence in since May 3.
The Union Home Minister said all political parties sensitively and apolitically gave their suggestions for restoration of peace in Manipur and the Central government will consider them with an open mind. Shah told the meeting that the situation in Manipur is slowly returning to normal and not a single person has died since June 13 in violence in the state. So far, 1,800 looted weapons have been surrendered.
The opposition parties have been critical of the Centre’s handling of the Manipur situation and have questioned the prime minister’s “silence” on the issue. Shah reportedly informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly monitoring the situation in Manipur since day one and “guiding us with full sensitivity” to find a solution to the problem.
