Amit Shah to Lead Critical Meeting on Manipur’s Security Concerns
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called for a high-level meeting with senior officials on Monday, a day after canceling his campaign engagements in Maharashtra to focus on the escalating security crisis in Manipur. Sources confirmed that Shah is set to assess the evolving situation in the state and consider additional measures to restore order.
On Sunday, Shah conducted a detailed review of the security situation in Manipur, emphasizing the need for immediate actions to quell the violence. The unrest, rooted in ethnic clashes since May of the previous year, has intensified recently, with the tragic discovery of the bodies of women and children sparking widespread protests and violent outbursts.
Mobs set fire to the residences of several political leaders, including three BJP lawmakers and a Congress MLA, across various districts of the Imphal Valley. In a dramatic turn, security forces successfully thwarted an attempt by the protesters to raid the ancestral home of Manipur’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh. Targets of the attacks included key political figures such as PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam, BJP MLAs Y Radheshyam and Paonam Brojen, and Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar. Despite an ongoing indefinite curfew, which was imposed following violent protests over the recent killing of three women and children by militants, these attacks occurred on Saturday night.
Since the eruption of violence in May, the ethnic conflict between the Meitei community in Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo groups from the surrounding hills has claimed more than 220 lives and displaced thousands. The conflict’s protracted nature has left the region in a constant state of instability.
Campaigning Winds Down in Maharashtra and Jharkhand
The final day of campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly elections and the second phase of elections in Jharkhand falls on Monday. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and BJP President J.P. Nadda are set to hold rallies across Maharashtra, with Kharge speaking in Vasai and Nadda addressing voters in Thane, Solapur, and Raigad. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will conduct press conferences in the capitals of both states.
Voters in Maharashtra will cast ballots for all 288 assembly seats, while Jharkhand will vote for 38 of its 81 constituencies. The elections are expected to have significant implications for both states, with the results to be announced three days after the vote on November 20.
Supreme Court to Examine Delhi’s Pollution Crisis
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on Friday regarding the pollution crisis in Delhi, which has seen the capital grapple with some of the world’s worst air quality levels. Senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who has been appointed as amicus curiae in the case, has urged the court to take swift action to address the dangerous air quality in the city. The court, which has previously heard cases related to air pollution in Delhi-NCR, will review the measures taken by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) and assess their effectiveness in curbing pollution levels.
Delhi’s air pollution has reached alarming levels, with several areas in the city recording hazardous air quality, impacting public health. The Supreme Court’s involvement is expected to push for more robust and immediate steps to tackle the crisis, including a review of ongoing measures and a push for stronger enforcement of air quality regulations. The petition also highlights the urgent need to address the long-term environmental and health consequences of the city’s air pollution.
