News Reporter
Seoul, 7 March, 2024: l Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar expressed deep concern on Tuesday over the recent incidents in Manipur, describing the situation as distressing. He emphasized the collective desire of all Indians to witness normalcy in the northeastern state.
Jaishankar addressed the Indian community in Seoul during the first leg of his four-day visit to South Korea and Japan. Amidst queries from the Indian diaspora on various issues, a community member also inquired about the situation in Manipur.
"For Manipur, the entire nation is praying," said the Foreign Minister.
"In this context, you know that no one will not be saddened by what is happening there," he added. "I mean, what happened there is truly sad, and the mixing and mingling of communities to such an extent that it becomes very difficult to handle the violence."
Jaishankar highlighted the escalating violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur since May 3, 2023. Nearly 200 casualties have been reported in incidents of violence, primarily fueled by opposition from the Meitei community to the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the Kuki community. The clashes erupted following the "Adivasi Ekta March" in the hill districts, triggering unrest across the state.
Before addressing specific queries about Manipur, Jaishankar referenced how the central government had changed "Look East" and "Act East" to "Act East," and many projects had been implemented there.
"What is happening in Manipur, I think to describe every person as 'distressed' is an understatement... I think in many ways the northeast can act as a bridge itself," he said.
Jaishankar added that a strong coalition does not enhance a country's global prestige. On the contrary, India has benefited from issue-based coalitions, he said.