Most of the main roads have been closed and the risk of violence spreading at any time has increased
India's northeastern state of Manipur has become restless again since Saturday night. There are either demonstrators or security personnel on the streets. Most of the main roads have been closed and the risk of violence spreading at any time has increased.
On Saturday night, the police arrested Kanan Singh, a prominent leader of the Maitei community's volunteer organization 'Arambai Tengol-AT', but the police did not disclose the charges on which he was arrested . Following Kanan's arrest, his supporters are protesting in the streets. They blocked the road by burning tires and also set fire to the bus, according to Indian media India Today.
Demonstrators protested by reaching the international airport in Imphal overnight saying that the arrested leader could be taken out of the state by plane.
Internet service has been stopped for five days in five districts and VSAT and VPN services have also been blocked. Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla called a meeting with top security and administration officials to understand the security situation.
The volunteer organization of the Maitei caste 'Arambai Tengol-AT' announced a ten-day bandh and prepared to intensify the movement, Indian media reported.
India Today, quoting security sources, mentioned that there were clashes between protesters and security personnel at some places and three people were injured.
The ethnic violence between the Maitei and Kuki ethnic groups that started in May 2023 has left more than 260 people dead and thousands of civilians have been displaced due to this conflict.
Both Maitei and Kuki communities gave majority to Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in two consecutive elections (2014 and 2019). But Prime Minister Modi has been repeatedly criticized for not being interested in the violence that has spread in Manipur. Even when the violence between the two communities that flared up last year lasted for weeks, Modi did not show seriousness about it. Modi spoke about the violence in Manipur for the first time on July 20, only when the video of the abuse of women went 'viral' three months after the incident.
Manipur has a long history of communal violence and protests. In 1993, there was communal violence between the Nagas and the Kukis. To stop it, the then government imposed President's rule in Manipur. So far, Manipur has had a history of ten times President's rule. The last time was in 2001 when the then state government lost its majority in the assembly, President's rule was implemented.
