Manipur violence triggered by court ruling, not religion: Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has strongly asserted that the ongoing violence in Manipur is ethnic in nature and not linked to religion, cautioning against attempts to misrepresent the crisis. Speaking at the Manorama News Conclave in Kochi, Kerala on Friday, Shah said the state had enjoyed unprecedented peace during six years of BJP rule until a court decision suddenly reignited tensions.
“When violence broke out in Manipur, let me clarify—during six years of BJP government, there was not a single bandh, not a single strike. Terrorism ended, and there was no ethnic violence. This unrest erupted only because of a court’s ruling,” Shah said.
He pointed out that Manipur has a long history of ethnic clashes, especially under Congress governments. “Earlier, violence used to continue for one year, one and a half years, or even two and a half years. But today, the situation is different. There is peace now, and I am confident full normalcy will be restored soon,” he added.
Shah revealed that the Ministry of Home Affairs has been holding multiple rounds of dialogue with both communities, separately and jointly. “Our top priority is restoring peace, because only then can the divide between communities be bridged. I want to make it absolutely clear: this is ethnic violence, not religious violence. It should not be defamed by giving it a religious color,” he emphasized.
The Home Minister said that the government’s determination to secure lasting peace in Manipur. “Normalcy is returning. We will not rest until harmony is fully restored,” he said, assuring that continuous efforts are underway to prevent the cycle of ethnic conflict from prolonging as in the past.