Manipur strife designated 'communal violence' for disbursal of compensation
Manipur's ongoing ethnic conflict as "communal violence", ET has learnt.
Although the Centre had underlined in its statements that this is an 'ethnic' conflict and not a 'communal' one, procedural requirements have made it necessary to categorise it so, as this is the only nomenclature that could be found applicable.
Around 64 next of kin in the state have been given compensation by the Centre as victims of 'communal violence', as per governmental data.
«We do not see the Manipur violence as religion-specific in nature.
It is an ethnic conflict with several other dimensions to it. However, we had to categorise it as an act of 'communal violence' for governmental processes.
Existing schemes to ensure compensation and relief to the impacted people do not cover such incidents. Therefore, processes have required us to fit it into the communal violence category so that timely compensation can be given to the violence-affected persons or their next of kin,» an official in the know told ET.
It is learnt that the Centre and state have invoked the 2022 'central scheme for assistance to civilian victims/family of victims of terrorist/communal/left-wing extremist violence, cross border firing and mine/IED blast on Indian territory for extending compensation to those impacted by the violence in the state'.
As per these revised 2022 guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs, 'communal violence' refers to 'planned and organised acts of violence by members of a community against members of another community to create or express ill-will or hatred and leading to loss of life or injuries to people'.
Over 142 people have been recorded as dead due to violence in Manipur, as per a state government report to the Supreme Court in
