New Delhi: In late May of 2023, Union home minister Amit Shah visited Imphal amidst ethnic violence that is yet to die down and promised compensation for the families of victims. An RTI response shows that his ministry has not yet released adequate funds for the purpose.
During his visit, Shah met with civil society organisations of the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in their respective areas and, on June 1, held a press conference where he made several announcements.
One such promise was total financial aid of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of each person who has lost their life in the violence.
He stated, “An amount of Rs 10 lakh (Rs 5 lakh each from the Manipur government and Union home ministry) will be provided through direct benefit transfer to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives in the violence.”
In response to Right to Information requests, The Wire has learnt that the Union home ministry has released Rs 7.35 crore to Manipur as financial assistance.
Latest official data has it that 226 people have been killed in the state since May 3, 2023. This means that Rs 11.30 crore should have been released to cover compensation for these families. Rs 3.95 crore is thus yet to be provided by the MHA.
The Wire also reached out to the Manipur government for further information on this gap, but has not yet received a response.
If the amount released by the Union ministry under Shah – Rs 7.35 crore – would cover a Rs 5-lakh compensation for 147 families out of the 226.
The Union home ministry’s RTI response also reveals that financial assistance provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the people of Manipur is under the Central Scheme for Assistance to Civilian Victims/Family of Victims of Terrorist/Communal/Left Wing Extremism (CSACV) Scheme.
This scheme provides financial assistance to family members in cases of death or permanent incapacitation of civilian victims in incidents involving terrorist or communal violence, left-wing extremism, as well as cross-border firing and mine or IED blasts within the Indian territory. The aid is generally extended to the surviving spouse, or if both spouses perish in the same incident, to the family as a whole.
Neither home minister Shah nor the Manipur government have publicly mentioned that the compensation is part of the CSACV scheme. A press note released by the MHA on June 1, available on the Press Information Bureau website, also omitted any mention of the CSACV scheme.
During his visit on June 1, Amit Shah also promised to formulate a plan for online education in the conflict-affected region; however, its implementation remains unclear. Many Kuki students unable to travel to Imphal for their studies have sought admission outside the city, with Kerala’s Kannur University being the first to welcome Kuki students displaced by the unrest.
Additionally, Shah announced the establishment of a peace committee chaired by then-governor of Manipur, Anusuiya Uikey. This committee included representatives from all political parties, including Chief Minister Biren Singh, as well as members from both Kuki and Meitei communities and various social organisations. However, many individuals later left the peace committee, expressing their reluctance function with Biren present in the panel.
Since the violence began on May 3, 2023, over 60,000 individuals have been displaced over the course of 543 days.
Shah also pledged medical support, specifically committing to provide doctors for the hill areas, where residents face challenges accessing urgent medical care. Due to the lack of local healthcare facilities, many residents are forced to travel to other states for treatment, and at least 35 individuals have reportedly died in Manipur due to medical emergencies.