NPP stressed on need for healing touch: Conrad Sangma after attending all-party meet on Manipur

Sangma also said the NPP has requested the Centre to ensure a sufficient supply of relief materials and essential commodities to all the affected locations.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who attended an all-party meeting on the Manipur situation in New Delhi on Saturday, said he has urged the Centre to take all necessary steps to restore peace in the violence-hit state and stressed on "the need for a healing touch" during the discussion.

The chief minister also said his party NPP has expressed its concern over the tension in Manipur where nearly 120 people lost their lives and more than 3,000 have been injured since the ethnic violence broke out on May 3.

"Attended the all-party meeting called by the Hon’ble Home Minister, Sh. @AmitShah ji to discuss about the prevailing situation in Manipur. The NPP has expressed its concern over the tension in Manipur and has urged GoI to take all the necessary steps to ensure peace returns to the state," Sangma said on Twitter.

He also said the NPP has requested the Centre to ensure a sufficient supply of relief materials and essential commodities to all the affected locations and the relief camps.

"Stringent action should be taken against any armed groups involved in violence to bring them under control," the chief minister said on the microblogging site.

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He also said, "NPP stressed on the need for a ‘Healing Touch’ where state and central Govts., political parties, religious organisations reach out to every section of society to appeal for peace and unity in Manipur."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly monitoring the Manipur situation since day one and "guiding us with full sensitivity" to find a solution to the problem, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at the all-party meeting.

Sources said Shah told the meeting that the situation in Manipur is slowly returning to normal and not a single person has died since June 13 in violence in the state.

The home minister solicited cooperation of all the political parties to help defuse the situation and restore peace and trust among various communities in Manipur at the earliest.

So far, 1,800 looted weapons have been surrendered.

Eighteen political parties including the BJP and four MPs from northeast and two chief ministers from the region attended the meeting.

The home minister said all political parties sensitively and apolitically gave their suggestions for the restoration of peace in Manipur and the central government will consider them with an open mind.

The opposition parties have been critical of the Centre's handling of the Manipur situation and have questioned the prime minister's "silence" on the issue.