Tamil Nadu CM writes to Manipur counterpart seeking concurrence to send humanitarian aid

Manipur violence. Pic/PTI

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh on sending aid, including medicines, to the violence-hit north-eastern state.

The Tamil Nadu government has asked Manipur to provide its concurrence to send the aid material to those living in relief camps.

Stalin told the Manipur chief minister in a letter dated July 31 that he has been informed that more than 50,000 people were staying in relief camps due to the "prevailing situation" in the northeastern state, apparently referring to the violence there.

"...there is an increasing need for some essential items for the affected people. At this crucial time, the Government of Tamil Nadu is willing to extend support to your State by providing necessary relief materials like tarpaulin sheets, bed-sheets, mosquito nets, essential medicines, sanitary napkins, and milk powder worth around Rs 10 crore," Stalin said.

This assistance will be very useful to the people staying in camps and "they can also be airlifted, if required," he said.

"I would request you to kindly give your government's concurrence for this humanitarian aid. Also, kindly inform us about the further action to be taken in this regard, so that my officers can coordinate with your officers and send the relief materials at the earliest," the Chief Minister added.

Stalin had earlier offered to provide training facilities for Manipur sportspersons in Tamil Nadu, in the wake of ethnic violence there.

More than 160 people have lost their lives and several hundreds injured since ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) national general secretary Atul Kumar Anjaan has alleged that the Manipur ethnic strife was part of a well-planned strategy of the BJP, reported PTI. The saffron party, while dismissing the allegation, said the Left must look in its own backyard of Kerala, where political murders are taking place, before preaching democracy to others. Anjaan, who was in Ranchi to attend the state executive meeting of the party, told reporters, "While Manipur was burning, BJP leaders were busy seeking votes in Karnataka."

(With PTI inputs)