Manipur chief minister Y Khemchand Singh said his government would form a committee with representatives from all 36 communities in the state to promote peace, harmony and inclusive development.
The chief minister said the proposal follows a query from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on whether such a committee existed to bring all communities together.
Singh was speaking at an event on Saturday held to felicitate hill chiefs of different tribes at the Chief Minister's Secretariat in Imphal.
The event followed the inauguration of the Hill (Tribal) Chiefs' Guest House at Palace Compound as part of the Mera Hou Chongba Festival.
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Singh said all communities have contributed to defending and safeguarding Manipur throughout, as he recalled the Anglo-Manipur War and the Seven Years' Devastation to pay tribute to the sacrifices made to protect the state's land, identity and heritage.
The chief minister expressed hope that the festival would usher in peace and prosperity and strengthen the spirit of brotherhood.
He expressed happiness that people from the hill areas, including some who were earlier reluctant to visit Imphal, joined the festival this year.
He said the guest house is not merely a physical structure but a symbol of brotherhood between the hills and the valley.
The Mera Hou Chongba festival celebrates peace and brotherhood among different tribes and communities of the state.
The security situation in Manipur has deteriorated following a fresh outbreak of violence. At least four people have died in two separate incidents on 18 and 19 October. The murders have triggered protests and brought the city of Imphal to a near standstill.
In the first incident, violence erupted during a musical event in a locality inhabited by Meiteis and Pangal Muslims, where stone-pelting and gunfire reportedly broke out, leaving several people in the crowd injured. A 24-year-old youth later died of bullet injuries.
In a separate incident at Khamenlok in Imphal East district, at least three villagers, who had gone to collect firewood in the nearby hills, were reportedly shot dead by suspected tribal militants.
The area has a presence of Kuki militant groups, police sources said.
Three others were also injured in the attack.
The killings sparked outrage among villagers, who subsequently marched towards the chief minister's high-security bungalow in Imphal, carrying the bodies of the victims.
According to local MLA Thokchom Lokeshor Singh, the victims had gone to collect firewood in the area near the boundary between Imphal East and Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district when they were allegedly attacked.
The killings threaten to aggravate mistrust between the Meitei and Kuki communities, whose relations have remained strained since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023. Given the sensitive location near the Imphal East-Kangpokpi boundary, any further escalation could undermine the fragile calm.
