National

Manipur Violence Has Left Over 14000 School Children Displaced: Govt

The Education Ministry has said the ongoing violence in northeast Manipur has left over 14000 school children displaced.

Visual from ethnic clashes in Manipur
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The government on Wednesday said over 14000 school children have been displaced due to the ongoing ethnic violence in northeast’s Manipur.

The Education Ministry has come with figures saying that the ongoing violence in Manipur has left over 14000 school going children displaced.

Ethnic violence has plunged Manipur into what is being dubbed a state of civil war as the two largest groups, the majority Meitei and minority Kuki, battle over land and influence.

Last month, the shocking video of an attack emerged  in which two Kuki women were paraded naked by Meitei men shortly after their village was razed.

The Meiteis account for over 50 percent population in Manipur, while around 43 percent population jointly constitutes of Kukis, Nagas and other tribes.

Over 150 people have been killed and several injured in violence that began in May this year. 

Over 60,000 people have been left displaced from their homes, the reports said. 

The tensions escalated when Kukis in Manipur began protesting against demands from the Meiteis to be given official tribal status.

Meiteis mostly live in the Imphal valley, while the Kukis live in the surrounding hills and beyond.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the attack on the Kuki women had shamed India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remained silent on the violence in Manipur up until the video of the 4 May attack emerged this week. He said the incident had "shamed 
India" and that "no guilty will be spared... what happened with the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven".

The government has deployed 40,000 security personnel in the state to curb the violence in Manipur. 

The BJP government in the state led by CM N Biren Singh has accused Kuki insurgent groups of inciting the community.

There have been accusations against Singh that he has been favouring Meiteis in the violence due to himself hailing from the same ethnicity. However, Singh has rejected accusations.