More forces to plug gaps soon, Amit Shah assures tribal forum

More central forces will be deployed in Manipur to ‘plug vulnerable gaps’, home minister Amit Shah assured the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum in New Delhi on Wednesday. The forum was told that the state security advisor will be in charge of the state’s forces that would operate in conjunction with central forces in hill areas.

Discussions were also held on burying the dead. The forum was offered multiple locations in Manipur, according to people who attended the meeting. On the request of ITLF leaders, the Centre may give land of the government-owned sericulture farm for burying tribal victims, an ITLF participant said. Shah assured the forum that the land would be ‘utilised for a common public purpose’ in consultation with ITLF and other stakeholder. “The Centre requested the delegation not to insist on burying the dead at the earlier planned venue, which falls in the conflict zone.

The forum was asked to identify an alternate location in consultation with Churachandpur deputy commissioner and conduct funeral at the earliest,” a person who attended the meeting said. ITLF participants said the Centre assured the forum of chopper services for residents of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh to preferred destinations. Students will be allowed to enrol in colleges in hill areas and transferred to varsities outside the state. Student facilitation centres of Manipur varsity will be opened in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi too.