The BJP governments at the State and Centre will be able to resolve the ongoing conflict in Manipur through dialogue, said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the party’s key troubleshooter in the northeast.
“The Central government is being fiercely neutral while dealing with all the communities. With the kind of time, kind of energy (Home Minister) Amit Shah is spending in northeast, I am sure that positive result will emerge,” Mr. Sarma said. Mr. Shah is travelling to Manipur this week.
According to Mr. Sarma, the “unexpected” order of the Manipur High Court on April 20 to consider the request for Meitei community’s inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list within four months derailed a plan for a comprehensive dialogue that the State was planning. “The inter-ethnic dialogue has to be in a more matured manner, leading to more authentic cooperation. In the last five years, we had created that situation and a dialogue was beginning. But unfortunately the High Court order changed the course of events,” Mr. Sarma told The Hindu in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview.
