Aaditya Thackeray hits out at BJP for poll campaigning amid violence in Manipur

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 7 (ANI): Former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday expressed "serious concern" over the prevailing violence in Manipur. Hitting out at the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, he said that the Central government should be focusing to bring the situation under control in the northeastern state instead of campaigning for elections.

The final leg of campaigning for the May 10 Assembly elections has intensified in Karnataka. Top leaders of BJP and Congress are campaigning for the assembly elections in the southern state.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray said, "The situation in Manipur is very worrisome. The violence should stop. The Central government should focus to contain violence in the state".

Thackeray said that the situation in Manipur should not have spiralled out of control in the first place. "But the whole administration, be it Central or state government, is busy in election campaigning".

He also appealed to the state government that the Marathi students stuck in Manipur should be taken out safely and brought back to Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, Indian Army and Assam Rifles which were called in to curb violence in Manipur have successfully rescued nearly 23,000 civilians so far and moved them to the operating bases, a statement from the Indian Army said on Sunday.

As per the statement, no major incidents of violence have been reported since the rescue operation began resulting in the relaxation in the curfew hours which are now from 7 am to 10 am today in Churachandpur.

"Ray of hope due to efforts of 120- 125 Army and Assam Rifles columns who are working tirelessly for past 96 hours to rescue civilians across all communities, curb violence and restore normalcy has emerged with no major violence being reported and curfew, therefore being relaxed from 7-10 am today in Churachandpur followed by flag march by Security Forces immediately thereafter," the Army statement said.

"Total 23000 civilians have been rescued till now and were moved to own operating bases/ military Garrisons," it added.

Earlier on May 3, owing to tension over the move to protect forests in the face of resistance from illegal immigrants and also the High Court's direction to include Meitei in scheduled tribes, the district administration imposed a complete curfew in violence-hit Churachandpur in Manipur.

As per the statement, the past 24 hours also witnessed Army significantly enhancing surveillance efforts through aerial surveillance, movement of UAVs and redeployment of Army Helicopters within Imphal Valley.

Manipur Government had requisitioned Army and Assam Rifles on May 3 and 4.

State's Director General of Police P Doungel has said that the situation in the State has improved after the intervention of security forces.

Violence had erupted in the immediate aftermath of inter-community clashes in a few districts of the northeastern State amid protests against the inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. (ANI)