Manipur BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh on Monday requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw central forces and let state security personnel take over in an effort to restore peace in the ethnic strife-hit state. In a letter to Shah, Singh argued that peace has not returned in Manipur despite the presence of around 60,000 central forces. Singh, a BJP MLA, is also the son-in-law of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
He said, “The presence of about 60,000 central forces in Manipur is not able to establish peace, so it is better to withdraw such forces who are mostly present as mute spectators.” He admitted that some units of Assam Rifles were recently withdrawn due to lack of cooperation with the state government and the public.
Singh said, “We are pleased with the action taken to remove some units of Assam Rifles which were not cooperating with the state government and the public, but if the presence of these and other central forces cannot stop the violence, it is better to remove them and let the state forces take charge and bring peace.” Singh proposed that the central government transfer the unified command authority to the state government headed by the chief minister.
He criticised the current system as ineffective in curbing violence and argued that it was extremely important at this time to transfer the unified command to the elected government. The BJP MLA said, “The central government must hand over the unified command to the state government headed by the chief minister and allow it to work according to the procedures laid down by law to bring peace and normalcy in the state.”
The Home Ministry had appointed former CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh as the security adviser to the Manipur government after violence erupted in the state last year. The unified command, which oversees reports from various agencies and forces, coordinates operational requirements in consultation with the Manipur government. Singh also called on the central government to take strict action against militant and insurgent groups that have violated the ground rules of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. He also urged Shah to cancel the SoO agreements with these groups, which he claimed were further fuelling violence.