'Acts of force will only exacerbate situation,' Kiren appeals for peace

NEW DELHI: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, appealed to people in Manipur to abstain from any form of violence and said efforts are on to work towards restoration of peace and order in the north-eastern State, which has been gripped by violence since May 3.

In an open letter written on behalf of the North East Member of Parliament Forum, Rijiju, who is also chairman of the body extended condolences to families of those who have lost their loved ones in the incidents in the State recently.

"The pain caused by the loss of lives and properties is irreplaceable, and our hearts go out to those who have been affected by these tragic events. We understand that emotions are running high at this moment, and people may be induced into violence. However, we appeal to every member of the community to abstain from the use of force or any kind of violence. Such acts will only exacerbate the situation and cause more harm to innocent people," the Union minister wrote.

"We believe that every life is precious, and we are committed to working towards the restoration of peace and order in the affected areas. We are aware that our efforts will be incomplete without the cooperation of the public. Hence, we appeal to all members of the society to kindly help us in our endeavours to restore peace and order," he elaborated.

A curfew was imposed on May 3 after violence broke out in the State. The State government also clamped down on the use of the Internet and mobile phones to ensure the spread of panic and false information could be curtailed.

Throughout this period, Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh had multiple meetings via video conferencing with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and top officials of the Home Ministry to assess the situation and centre sending paramilitary forces to the state.

As per the official figures close to 60 people lost their lives while more than 230 were injured and close to 1700 houses were burnt down during the violence that erupted on May 3.

We urge all members of the community to come together during these difficult times and work towards restoring peace and harmony in our society, the Cabinet Minister appealed.

Members of Parliament from northeastern states cutting across political parties are part of the North East MPs Forum to further the cause of the northeastern region, especially development.

The forum was formed under the guidance of former Lok Sabha Speaker, P A Sangma. His son Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma is also part of this forum. The President of the forum is Kiren Rijiju whereas the secretary is Congress MP Vincent Pala.