Over ethnic violence in Manipur, Rajkumar writes letter to PM Modi

Manipur: In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh expressed deep concern over the recent spate of communal violence in Manipur, which has left 71 people dead and hundreds injured.
The letter, underscoring the gravity of the situation, outlines the extent of the damage caused by the clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Out of the 16 districts of Manipur, 11 have been affected, 6 districts are in the grip of violence. More than 25,000 people have been displaced, 1700 houses have burned, and more than 200 vehicles have been destroyed. The chaos and unrest since May 3 broke trust between the two communities.
Expressing frustration and disappointment, Kuki leaders including their MLAs have started demanding a separate political administration for their people. They are believed to be facing intense pressure from various quarters, including militant groups. However, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh cautioned against such a proposal, asserting that encouraging further division along ethnic lines would be detrimental to the state, which already consists of 35 different ethnic groups. He emphasized the importance of peaceful coexistence and urged the authorities to control the conflict firmly.
The Minister of State also addressed a statement by a young BJP MLA, who called the violence “ethnic cleansing”. Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh clarified that such features are baseless and dangerous. He urged public figures to exercise restraint while discussing sensitive issues, as the violence that erupted in Churachandpur district started from a small incident and should not be mistaken as a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing to be understood.
Highlighting the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh called for immediate action to prevent further exploitation of the situation. He emphasized that the focus should not be on the death toll or damage to property, but on dealing with the humanitarian crisis. He emphasized on adopting a humane attitude beyond ethnic prejudices.