Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top BJP leaders on Monday were huddled in meetings to discuss Manipur among other issues.
According to sources, the ruling party leadership held a series of meetings in Parliament House. This included a meeting between Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J P Nadda, who later went to Modi’s office in Parliament House, where the three leaders then held a meeting for almost an hour.
Later in the day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also met Shah in Parliament House. The series of meetings sparked speculation that BJP may consider some “political steps” in Manipur.
However, sources said both the party and the government are awaiting the outcome of an upcoming meeting of Kuki groups. The Kuki groups, which have been demanding a separate administration, are holding a meeting later this week to finalise their demand.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) – the apex tribal body of the community in the state – has said that its demand for a “separate administration” is now a demand for a separate state under Article 3 of the Constitution.
Sources said while the government is sympathetic to the concerns raised by the Kuki groups, especially in the wake of the recent violence, it does not want to “take any steps that would antagonise or provoke the majority Meitei groups”.
Pointing out that Shah has said that Manipur’s territorial integrity will be protected, these sources said that after KIM’s demand for a separate state, there has been a “pushback” from the public and the Kuki-Zo civil society organisations. “This makes the outcome of the meeting significant,” said sources.
