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‘People of Manipur have lost confidence in Biren Singh govt’ — what Naga MP & MLAs told Amit Shah

Delegation of 10 Naga MLAs & one MP from Manipur met Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday, told him that Biren Singh govt was very slow in responding to violence.

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New Delhi: The N. Biren Singh government was “very slow” in responding to the violence that erupted in Manipur on 3 May, because of which people have “lost confidence in the state government”, a delegation of Naga legislators from Manipur told Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a meeting Wednesday, ThePrint has learnt. 

The delegation, comprising 10 MLAs and an MP, also told Shah that Nagas are not against any arrangement the central government decides for the state, but whatever arrangement is made should not infringe on the Naga areas. Shah had invited the delegation to Delhi after he was unable to meet them during his four-day visit to Manipur that began on 29 May. 

Manipur has been engulfed in violence since the beginning of May, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March to oppose the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Thus far, over 100 deaths have been reported from across the state, with more than 300 wounded.

“We told the home minister that dialogue should happen between the people and government to restore normalcy. A dialogue will come only if there is trust. But the people of the state have lost confidence in the Biren Singh government. They were not able to manage the whole situation,” Lorho S. Pfoze, MP for Outer Manipur and a Naga, told ThePrint. 

Pfoze added that if normalcy were not restored, the state would return to primitive ways of conflict. “This will leave the state scarred,” he said. 

ThePrint has sought a response from the Ministry of Home Affairs via e-mail. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.


Also Read: Ethnicity was manipulated to control Manipur insurgency–the hate this unleashed set it on fire


‘Naga land should not be infringed’

In Manipur, Kukis dominate the hills, while Meiteis hold the majority in the valley, which includes Imphal. According to the 2011 Census, Meiteis make up around 15 lakh of the state’s 28 lakh population, with 8 lakh Kukis, 6 lakh Nagas and others, including Manipuri Muslims, making up the rest.

The Outer Manipur MP said that Nagas are largely concentrated in five districts – Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Tengnoupal. There are Nagas also living in Noney and Kamjong.

The legislators are insistent that any consultation on the issue of land in the state should involve the Nagas as well. 

“During the previous Congress rule in the state, new districts in the hills were carved out in Manipur. Some of these were carved out of Naga areas. The tribal Kukis are living there now. They are demanding a Kuki homeland in areas carved out of Naga areas, which Nagas have opposed,” Pfoze added. 

Meanwhile, Naga MLA Janghemlung Panmei, who was also part of the delegation, told ThePrint that Nagas are peace-loving people and have not taken any sides in the conflict.

“We have remained neutral and not taken the side of either Meiteis or Kukis. We have communicated to the home minister that we want peace to be restored. And any discussion on land should involve all stakeholders, including us,” he said. 

Panmei added that the Nagas have stayed neutral throughout the conflict this time and will continue to maintain this stand. “We have lived together with the other communities,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking about the arms and ammunition looted during the violence, Pfoze told ThePrint that the central paramilitary forces should now ensure that all this is accounted for and returned. 

“Claims and counterclaims have been levelled by both the communities — Kukis and Meiteis — against each other. Kukis are claiming that the mob was allowed to loot arms and ammunition from inside police stations, while the Meiteis are claiming that Kuki militants have come out of the SoO (Suspension of Operations) camps along with arms and participated in the violence. We want that whatever unaccounted weapons are there in the open should be confiscated, else it will raise internal security issues,” he said. 

(Edited by Richa Mishra)


Also Read: A broken Manipur is out of sight, out of mind. Here’s why we can’t be so callous & arrogant


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