Manipur violence: SC refuses urgent hearing on plea seeking Army protection for Kuki tribals

The violence in Manipur is "purely a matter of law and order", the Supreme Court said on Tuesday as it refused to urgently hear a plea to deploy armed forces in the state to protect Kukis and order prosecution of those attacking the tribal community.

"We hope that the courts will not have to issue orders that the military must be deployed." It is purely a law and order issue,” Justice Surya Kant and MM Sundresh said while rejecting a plea for immediate hearing on multiple matters related to ethnic violence in the state among Meities and Kukis.

Violent clashes between the two communities, which began in the first week of May, have so far left at least 115 dead.

Colin Gonsalves representing NGO Manipur Tribal Forum raised the matter before the senate and pressed for a hearing this week. He claimed that 70 tribals had been killed after hearing on May 17 in court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Manipur government, opposed the submissions. “Security agencies are already on the ground and doing what they can.

My friend's public interest can surely wait. Moreover, this is the second time that such an application has been filed in this court. It was also mentioned earlier and the court declined to address it then. 

“We have expressed an urgent request to protect the tribes and prosecute those who attack them. 70 tribals were killed despite the assurance given by the state to this court last month,” Gonsalves said.

The bench asked what was the basis of the calculation. “It is a serious law and order problem. You can make the problem worse with such posts. The moment you say they're not doing it right, you can cause more problems.”