Manipur views the Supreme Court judges’ visit with both hope and skepticism. The visit gains significance as neither the Prime Minister nor the Home Minister has set foot in the state since May 2023. Many see it as a chance for justice, while others doubt its impact. The situation highlights the government’s continued absence from the conflict-hit region.
New Delhi: Supreme Court Justices Bhushan R. Gavai, Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, M.M. Sundresh, K.V. Viswanathan, and N. Kotiswar Singh are set to visit Manipur today, March 22, to participate in events celebrating the 12th anniversary of the Manipur High Court.
Justice Gavai, who serves as the executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), will virtually inaugurate legal and medical service camps throughout all districts in Manipur. Additionally, he will open new legal aid clinics in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Ukhrul districts.
The judges are also expected to visit one or two refugee camps, distributing essential relief materials to internally displaced persons (IDPs). Nearly two years after ethnic clashes began on May 3, 2023, NALSA reports that thousands of the over 50,000 displaced individuals remain in refugee camps.
According to a press release from NALSA, the legal services camps are intended to assist IDPs in accessing government welfare programs and ensure they receive benefits related to healthcare, pensions, and employment schemes, as well as help restore any identity documents that were lost or destroyed during the violence.
The judges will assess the living conditions of the IDPs and discuss ways to enhance legal and humanitarian assistance in the region. They are expected to engage with the displaced individuals, evaluate ongoing relief efforts, and oversee projects aimed at expanding legal aid and healthcare services.
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This “special” visit has generated significant excitement, as people from both communities wish to share their traumatic experiences and express their needs for rebuilding their lives.
However, there is a high level of distrust between the two ethnic groups Meiteis and Kuki-Zo tribes who prefer to meet with the judges separately and without the presence of members from the other community or officials. A minor controversy arose when the bar association in Churachandpur resolved that Justice Kotiswar Singh, who is a Meitei, should not travel there.
Tribal groups have also expressed distrust towards the governor, claiming that the situation has not improved despite the imposition of President’s Rule after the BJP failed to elect a new leader to replace outgoing chief minister N. Biren Singh. The assembly remains in suspended animation, and Meitei militant groups like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun have reportedly had unrestricted access to the Raj Bhavan.
While welcoming the judges’ visit, the Delhi-based Manipur Tribal Forum (MTFD) sent a letter to the Chief Justice of India and Justice Gavai, highlighting that previous visits were “planned and monitored” by state government authorities, preventing an accurate portrayal of the situation.
The forum urged the judges to independently assess the conditions on the ground and consider the perspective of the tribal communities. The letter also pointed out that none of the 197 villages and over 7,000 homes destroyed during the conflict have been rebuilt, despite a Supreme Court directive issued on July 11, 2023.
The MTFD called for enforcement of the court’s earlier order for reconstruction and restoration of the affected villages and requested updates on FIRs, chargesheets, arrests, and the status of trials from the Supreme Court-appointed committee led by former DGP D.D. Padsalgikar.
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