Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw at the release of a special booklet on achievements of first 100 days of the government during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term, in New Delhi, Tuesday.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Hopeful of bringing the situation under control in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government has created a roadmap to find a solution and is talking to both Meitei and Kuki communities besides taking security measures to stop infiltration from Myanmar calling it the "root cause" for all problems.
Addressing a press conference on the occasion of the Narendra Modi government completing 100 days in office in third term, Shah also said the much-delayed Census will commence "soon" while insisting that the roll out of 'One Nation, One Poll' will happen within this government’s tenure.
He said the government has cleared or started the implementation of policies worth Rs 15 lakh crore in the first 100 days of the government, which returned to power after dedicating 10 years to the development, security and welfare of the poor in India. This also includes infrastructure projects worth Rs 3 lakh crore, including linking 25,000 unconnected villages to road networks and building a mega port at Wadhawan.
While listing achievements like initiation of infrastructure projects, extension of Ayushman Bharat scheme for elderly beyond 70 years, PM Bus Seva, enlarging Lakhpati Didi scheme, increasing Mudra loan, roll out of new criminal codes and Modi's intervention in Russia-Ukraine crisis among others, he also said they will come out with a scheme to tackle "sabotage" of railway infrastructure, leading to train accidents.
Asked about the situation in Manipur where ethnic violence started on 3 May, 2023, he said the violence took place recently for three days but other than that in the last 3 months, there were no major incidents.
"We are hopeful to bring the situation under control. We are in talks with both the local tribes. This is ethnic violence and there cannot be any solution until there is a dialogue. We are speaking to the Meitei and Kuki groups. We have created a roadmap to solve the issue," he said.
He suggested that the root cause of the problem is the India-Myanmar border and said that its fencing has started with the authorities completing a 30 km stretch while the budget for fencing the whole 1,500 km border has been cleared.
"We have successfully deployed CRPF at strategic locations. To stop the infiltration, we have nullified the agreement between India and Myanmar which allowed the movement of the people. Now entry into India is allowed only by visa," he said but refused to give a schedule for the Prime Minister's visit to the strife-torn state.
The Opposition, particularly Congress, has been accusing Modi of not visiting Manipur while he finds time to even visit Russia and Ukraine and offer to mediate between them.
On Census, he said it will start soon but did not give a clear response on Caste Census as he emphasised that all such things would be cleared when the notification for Census is published. MHA sources on Sunday said there is no decision on counting caste along with Census 2021. He also said the One Nation, One Poll will be implemented during the tenure of this government.
He said the government securing a third term happened for the first time in the last 60 years and this has brought an environment of political stability in the country. "In the last 10 years, the Modi government has been successful in establishing a strong India by strengthening internal and external security," he said.
"I can say with pride that India has become a centre of production in the world. Many countries of the world want to understand our Digital India campaign and make it a basis of their development. We brought discipline and progressed in all the 13 parameters of the economy....For the first time after independence, the world saw a government that India had a spine in its foreign policy," he said.