Manipur violence sees Union minister's house burnt down in Imphal as violence escalates

Violence in India's north-eastern state of Manipur has escalated in recent days, marking it as the worst episode of ethnic violence in the history of the region. The death toll has now risen to 100, with over 300 reported injuries and thousands left homeless.

In a fresh incident late on Thursday night (June 15), rioters set fire to the residence of RK Ranjan Singh, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, in Imphal.

Prior to this, on June 14, rioters attacked the official headquarters of Manipur's Minister for Women, Nemcha Kipgen, in the Lamphal area of Imphal.

The violence took a disturbing turn on June 13 when a clash between villagers and armed forces resulted in the deaths of nine people, with ten others reported injured

How it started

The turmoil began a month ago on May 3, when the All Tribal Student Union of Manipur (ATSUM), a student union group, organised a solidarity protest march against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list, which grants reservation benefits.

On April 20, 2023, a judge in the Manipur High Court directed the state to consider the request of the Meitei community to be included in the ST list. This order agitated the Kuki community, as they feared that the ST status would enable the Meitei community to purchase land in the hilly regions and exploit their territories.

Over 60,000 protestors participated in the march against the High Court order, but the protest turned violent in Churachandpur, subsequently spreading to other parts of the Imphal valley, including Kakching, Canchipur, Soibam Leikai, Tengoupal, Langol, and Moreh.

In response to the escalating situation, the Manipur government issued a shoot-at-sight order on May 4 and deployed around 10,000 armed forces, including paramilitary, Central Police Reserve Force, and the army.

The cycle of violence

The violence in Manipur shows no signs of abating due to the unresolved reservation request of the Meitei community. This stokes the emotions of the Kuki tribes, who fear that granting the ST status to the Meitei community, who already hold dominance in assembly seats, will lead to exploitation of the hilly areas that belong to the tribes. Additionally, they believe that the Meitei community will gain better government jobs and opportunities.

Ethnic violence in Manipur is not a new phenomenon and has persisted since the state became part of the Indian dominion in 1949, two years after India gained independence. Similar to Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur was also a princely state and its integration into Indian territory in 1949 was perceived by many as hasty and lacking proper consensus.

The Meiteis constitute 53% of Manipur's population and have a significant representation in the legislative assembly, with Meitei candidates winning 39 out of 60 assembly seats in the last elections.

The Kuki community accounts for nearly 40% of the state's population of 3.5 million. While other regional tribes also reside in Manipur, the Kukis form the majority, including Christian Kuki tribes and Nagas, mainly inhabiting the hilly regions of the state.

Meiteis vs Kukis

There has been an ongoing community conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki tribes, revolving around a complex array of issues, including land rights and the crackdown on minority groups.

The Meiteis hold dominance in the Imphal valley and have significant influence within state institutions, in contrast to the Kuki tribes who primarily reside in the hilly areas and depend on agriculture.

Historically, there has always been resentment among the Kukis towards the Meitei tribes, and the recent violence related to the granting of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status has further fueled this animosity.

The differences between these two communities encompass a wide range of intricate issues, making it a challenging task for the BJP-led government to restore normalcy in the state.

Home Minister Amit Shah visited Manipur and made an appeal for peace, while a peace committee was also established to involve local residents in the restoration of tranquility.