Churachandpur/ Imphal, Jan 7 (PTI) Manipur’s new Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Tuesday visited the Churachandpur district, where Kukis live, and urged community leaders to work collaboratively with the administration in peacebuilding efforts.
Bhalla, the former Union home secretary, reached the district around 9:40 am. He inaugurated an IT centre at the Churachandpur College and interacted with students.
He heard their grievances and the problems they were facing as a result of the crisis in the state.
Maintaining that the students were the future of the country and he did not want them to suffer, Bhalla said the government was making all efforts to bring back normalcy.
Thereafter, he went to the deputy commissioner’s office where held meetings with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) such as the Kuki Zo Council and ITLF, among others.
“Governor appealed the leaders of the CSOs to work collaboratively with the administration in peacebuilding efforts,” a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan in Imphal said.
The Kuki-Zo Council, which is the apex body of the community, submitted a memorandum to the governor, stressing the “need for maintaining the sanctity of the Buffer Zones”, the need for re-demarcation of district police jurisdiction and deployment of “neutral central security forces”.
It said the governor insisted that peace must come first and then “solution”.
“Whereas the Council strongly asserted that political talk should be expedited with the SoO group and a Separate Administration – Union Territory with legislature for the Kuki-Zo people be granted under Article 239 (A) of the Indian Constitution for peace to prevail,” it said in a statement.
“Hon’ble Governor promised that the Central government will maintain neutrality in maintaining law and order. In this regard the Council assured that law and order situation will remain secured only if the sanctity of ‘Buffer Zone’ is respected,” it added.
The Zomi Students’ Federation also submitted a memorandum to the governor, apprising him about the issues being faced by the students, the issues of the Churachandpur Medical College, and the need for setting up a central government office in the district.
Later, Bhalla visited the Sadhbhavna Mandap relief camp in Tuibong and interacted with those living there. He also distributed relief materials.
On his way back to Imphal, the governor visited the Chingnu Thangjing Guest House relief camp in Moirang in Bishnupur district, and interacted with people of the Meitei community who have taken shelter there. He also distributed relief materials among them.
Over 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023. PTI CORR SOM
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