Under the banner of ‘Manipuri in Kolkata,’ an umbrella organization of people from Manipur living in Kolkata, approximately 50 men and women gathered in front of the Manipur Bhavan building in Salt Lake for a candle-light vigil. The gathering prayed for the restoration of peace and communal harmony in Manipur, which has been ravaged by ethnic violence that has claimed over 50 lives since the evening of May 3.
According to Roshan Khumukcham, the Vice President of Manipuri in Kolkata, the organization is taking informal measures to ensure that no conflicts arise among the communities from Manipur residing in the city. During the meeting, it was made clear that the issues that led to the violence were constitutional in nature, rather than primarily communal.
Mr Khumukcham urged the Central and Manipur governments to take necessary steps to resolve the underlying issues and restore peace to the state. Earlier, Manipuri In Kolkata issued a statement expressing sorrow over the events in Manipur that have resulted in the loss of precious lives, property, and the destruction of the fine social fabric built over thousands of years based on mutual trust, respect, and co-existence.
The statement said that Manipuri in Kolkata shares the pain and stands in solidarity with all those who have suffered during this difficult time. “MIK sincerely believes that these incidents are just a temporary aberration in our glorious history, and we will soon return to normalcy. We are fully committed to finding a way forward and a solution to build a progressive, all-inclusive Manipur,” the statement added.
