In Delhi tribal leaders to meet HM Amit Shah on Manipur clashes

Aizawl: Leaders of Manipur-based Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday to discuss the prevailing situation and find a solution to the tribal demands, sources said.

Shah invited the leaders for talks in Delhi, following which the tribal leaders had a marathon discussion on Sunday to decide whether or not to comply with the request, sources said. The tribal leaders also consulted Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga.

According to sources close to the chief minister, Amit Shah extended an invitation to the ITLF leaders to engage in talks in Delhi on Saturday.

In light of Shah’s invitation for discussions, the ITLF leaders convened a day-long meeting on Saturday, acknowledging the gravity of the decision at hand. Zoramthanga, a fatherly figure among the Zo ethnic tribes across the region, conveyed to the ITLF leaders that they should embrace the opportunity for face-to-face discussions with the Union Home Minister rather than declining the offer. He emphasised the value of directly presenting their concerns, as per a reliable source.

The ITLF delegation departed from Manipur for New Delhi on Sunday, with the talks scheduled for Monday. The delegation is expected to fly from Aizawl to Delhi on Monday.

Meanwhile, six people were reportedly killed by gun and mortar fire on Saturday in one of the worst attacks and counterattacks between the Meitei and Kuki groups. Security sources suspect the fresh wave of attacks was carried out with the huge cache of automatic and semi-automatic weapons and mortars looted from the armoury of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion HQ at Naranseina in Bishnupur district on Thursday.