A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday amid the ongoing clashes in Manipur. The petition, filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum, sought directions from the Central and State governments to evacuate tribal communities who had fled to CRPF camps and ensure their safe return to their homes under security escort.
The PIL alleged that the attacks on tribal communities in Manipur were carried out with the full support of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at both the State and Central levels. The petition claimed that the BJP supports the dominant group and planned the attacks based on a non-secular agenda, which is against the provisions of the Indian Constitution.
According to the petition, 30 tribal individuals were killed by the dominant community, and 132 were injured, but no first information report (FIR) has been registered in relation to any of these incidents so far.
The petitioner in the PIL submitted that neither any investigation nor FIR has been initiated in relation to the killings of 30 tribal persons and injuries to 132 others, as the police are allegedly supporting the dominant community. Therefore, the petitioner has requested the constitution of a Special Investigation Team headed by Harekrishna Deka, former Director General of Police of Assam, and monitored by Chief Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei, former Chairman of Meghalaya State Human Rights Commission, to ensure that the accused who attacked the tribals are prosecuted.
The current clashes and violence in Manipur are the result of the opposition of certain tribes to the demand of the majority Meitei community for Scheduled Tribe status. The Manipur High Court had ordered the inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list, which led to clashes between tribal and non-tribal communities.
The PIL filed in the Supreme Court seeks directions for the Central Forces to secure and ensure the safety of areas where the tribals are currently residing, such as New Lambulane, Chekon, Games Village, Paite Veng, Lamphel, Langol, Mantripukhri, Chingmairong, Dulahlane, Langthabal. Additionally, the PIL requests directions to reconstruct the churches that were impacted by the violent clashes.
The PIL was filed through advocate Satya Mitra and drawn by advocates Hetvi Patel and Kaoliangpou Kamei.
Another petition has also been filed before the Supreme Court by the Hill Areas Committee Chairperson and BJP MLA Dinganglung Gangmei challenging the Manipur High Court's March 27 order on Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community. The petition argues that there is no proposal for the inclusion of Meiteis pending with the Central government and that the State has never sent such a proposal to the Union government.
TAGS: Manipur clashes violence PIL Supreme Court Manipur Tribal Forum Central government State government CRPF tribal communities Bharatiya Janata Party BJP non-secular agenda Constitution of India first information report Special Investigation Team Harekrishna Deka former Director General of Police of Assam Chief Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei former Chairman of Meghalaya State Human Rights Commission accused prosecuted Meitei community Scheduled Tribes status Manipur High Court Hill Areas Committee Chairperson Dinganglung Gangmei March 27 order inclusion Central Forces churches advocate Satya Mitra Hetvi Patel Kaoliangpou Kamei.
