Manipur tribal leaders apprise Mizoram CM about meeting with Amit Shah

Manipur's Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) leaders, who on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss their demands, on Thursday met Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and apprised him about their meetings.

Senior ITLF leader and spokesman Ginza Vualzong said that they met the Mizoram Chief Minister and gave him reports of their Delhi visit.

"We also expressed our thanks for his (Zoramthanga) constant support," he said.

The Home Minister on Wednesday met the six-member delegation of ITLF, led by its secretary Muan Tombing, in Delhi to discuss their demands, which include a separate state for the tribals. Sources said that Shah rejected the demand of a separate administration or separate state for the tribals in Manipur.

ITLF sources said that taking note of their apprehensions about the safety and security of the residents of the hill areas of the state, Shah assured that deployment of Central forces will be further strengthened and reoriented to plug the vulnerable gap areas. The state forces will operate under the direction of the state security advisor and in conjunction with the Central forces in the hill areas, Vualzong said, referring to the decisions taken in the meeting. - IANS