Shah Leads Charge As Centre Hits Back In No-Trust Debate

NEW DELHI: The entire country is pained by the shameful violence in Manipur, but indulging in politics over it is even more shameful, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday as he defended the government over the ethnic clashes that have claimed over 150 lives, and appealed with "folded hands" to warring communities to end the riots and hold talks

Speaking on the second day of the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, Shah said that the Centre had no intention to alter the demography of the state, announced the fencing along the Myanmar border had been expedited, and presented data to show that the clashes were ebbing in Manipur. He condemned the viral video showing two Kuki women being stripped and paraded naked by a mob, but questioned why the 30-second clip surfaced a day before the monsoon session and why it was not handed over to the police.

"For the sake of society, we are ashamed of what happened [in Manipur]. There is no doubt about this. However shameful it is what transpired, it is even more shameful to indulge in politics over it," he said.

The minister also said that 152 people were killed, 14,898 people arrested and 1,106 first information reports (FIRS) registered since violence erupted on May 3.

"I want to let the country know, the Prime Minister called me at 4.30am, and then woke me up again with a phone call the next day at 6am. For three straight days, we worked from here to ensure peace," he said in what was the government's strongest response to the Opposition's charges on Manipur in the ongoing monsoon session. "We held 16 video conferences, we mobilised 16,000 paramilitary personnel using air force planes, the chief secretary was changed, the director general of police was changed, a security adviser was deputed... All this was done by May 4-a day after clashes broke out," he added.