Amit Shah reviews Manipur situation, directs CM to speed up peace process

Imphal: Union home minister Amit Shah discussed Manipur’s law-and-order situation with chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh at Parliament House complex on Wednesday.

Khemchand rushed to New Delhi on Tuesday evening for meeting Shah and the two held the meeting at 11.30am, a statement from the CM office said.

Shah reviewed the prevailing security scenario in Manipur with Khemchand, and directed the CM to accelerate the peace process in the state. He also asked Khemchand to consolidate the growing bonhomie among different communities.

The statement said Shah also in principle agreed to the raising of one Mahila India Reserve Battalion (IRB) for Manipur and asked the CM to send the proposal.

Khemchand’s meeting with Shah comes at a time when civil bodies have intensified their demand for implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or similar mechanism to detect illegal immigrants ahead of the census operations. Speculations are also rife over whether the CM’s meeting with Shah is in connection with the pending cabinet expansion.

Khemchand took oath as the CM on Feb 4 this year.

With the cabinet expansion not taking place and seven ministerial posts still remaining vacant after nearly two months of swearing-in of the Khemchand-led govt, opposition Congress has questioned the delay.

Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Manipur Keisham Meghachandra Singh, while responding to media queries on Wednesday, said the absence of a full-strength cabinet is against the spirit of democracy and constitutional values.

“A govt cannot function effectively if key decisions are concentrated among three or four individuals. This undermines democratic principles,” he said.