INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Manipur government to submit a report within a week detailing the steps taken to curb the
ongoing violence and the relief and rehabilitation measures it has taken after the counsel for the warring ethnic groups - Meiteis and Kukis
- traded charges on killings and arson that has plagued the state since May 3.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Manipur
government, requested senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared for the Kuki petitioners, not to give a communal angle to the situation
and informed a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra that the situation was improving, albeit
slowly.However, the state admitted to tackling a serious problem and presented details of an unprecedented deployment of forces
"Apart from police, Indian Reserve battalion personnel, Manipur Rifles commandos, 114 companies of central armed police forces, and 184
columns of Army have been deployed to arrest the violence," the SG said."As many as 355 relief camps have been set up
I would request Gonsalves to consider avoiding giving any communal angle - Christians etc - which is not necessary," the SG said
The CJI-led bench said, "We want an updated detailed status report by Monday
Give us a proper affidavit detailing steps taken on ground on various heads - rehabilitation, relief camps, recovery of arms, law and order
etc." Gonsalves said contrary to the state's assertion, the toll of Kukis had increased from 10, when the state had first assured the court
to deal with the situation, to 110 as of Sunday
Appearing for a Meiteis' petitioner, advocate Luwang said Kuki militantswere indulging in indiscriminate killings.
