Fri Nov 29 18:27:39 UTC 2024: **Former Manipur Chief Justice Warns of Worsening Situation, Calls for President’s Rule**
Imphal, Manipur – November 30, 2024 – Retired Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court, Siddharth Mridul, has warned of a deteriorating security situation in Manipur, stating that calls for President’s Rule are gaining momentum. In an interview with The Hindu, Justice Mridul, who left office on November 21, attributed the escalating violence to a confluence of factors, including infiltration from Myanmar, drug and arms smuggling, and significant demographic shifts.
The recent killings of six women and children abducted by militants following an encounter with security forces on November 11th have exacerbated the crisis. Justice Mridul emphasized that peace has not returned to the state and that the situation has worsened over the past year. He highlighted the suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar earlier this year as a contentious issue, opposed by all communities except the Meiteis.
While acknowledging the March 2023 High Court order concerning Meitei’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status as a trigger for the violence, Justice Mridul stressed it was merely a spark igniting pre-existing tensions. He clarified that the order did not grant ST status but merely requested a response from the state government, a point he said was misrepresented and fueled the unrest. The ensuing violence has claimed over 250 lives and displaced approximately 60,000 people.
Justice Mridul also detailed the challenges faced by the judiciary, including threats to judicial officers, restricted movement, and attempts to influence court proceedings. He highlighted the court’s efforts to address these issues, including securing judicial officers and limiting internet shutdowns to violence-affected areas. He also described the difficulties in re-organizing the judiciary to accommodate the displacement of communities, resulting in a de facto segregation of judicial officers based on ethnicity for security reasons. The former Chief Justice concluded by expressing concern over the lack of progress in addressing these issues despite government correspondence.
First Piper 