The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday refused an urgent hearing of the interlocutory application (IA) filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi (MTFD) for army protection to the Kuki tribes in the vacations. The apex court has refused to hear it either on Thursday or Friday and has listed it for July 3.
The apex court vacation bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and MM Sundresh stated that the Manipur ethnic violence “is purely a law-and-order situation” and that the court is not required to pass orders for army intervention.
“We hope courts are not asked to pass these kinds of orders that army should be deployed, central forces should be deployed. This is purely a law-and-order situation. Let the administration look into it”, the SC replied.
Listing the case for July 3, after summer vacations, the bench said that it was the earliest the case could be heard.
The apex court indicated that it is intervention, one way or the other, that may now tend to aggravate the situation in the state, which has seen clashes since May 3.
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Solicitor general Tushar Mehta for Manipur and Union of India said that security forces are on the ground and they are doing their best.
Solicitor general reminded that a similar plea had been filed before the vacations, but the apex court had chosen not to intervene in the situation while posting them after the holidays.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Colin Gonslaves for MTFD said in the SC that violence and killings have continued in the state of Manipur despite the solemn assurance given by the government. The tribal areas have been attacked and tribals have been killed, the advocate said and added that he wants army protection and prosecution of and also, FIR against persons responsible for the violence.
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Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi alleged that the Central government and the chief minister of Manipur have jointly embarked on a communal agenda aimed at ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Kuki tribes in the north-eastern state.
More than 100 people have lost their lives in the violence between Meitei and Kuki communities that broke out over a month ago.
MTFD application sought immediate directions to the army to take full control of the law-and-order and public order situation in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Chandel, Imphal West and Imphal East district to ensure with immediate effect that the killing of Kukis comes to an end.
