Imphal: Trouble seems to be brewing for the N. Biren Singh-led BJP government in Manipur, nine days after violent ethnic clashes broke out in the state, leaving at least 60 people dead and over 200 injured.
Ten Kuki MLAs, which includes 8 MLAs from the ruling BJP and two from Kuki People’s Alliance — a BJP ally — issued a press statement Friday noon, seeking from the central government a “separate administration under the Constitution of India and (right to) live peacefully as neighbours with the state of Manipur.”
Among the signatories is BJP MLA Letpao Haokip, the only minister from the Kuki tribe in the N. Biren Singh cabinet.
“… as elected representatives of our people, we today represent the sentiments of our people and endorse their political aspiration of separation from the state of Manipur. We have also decided to hold a political consultation with our people at the earliest regarding further steps to be taken by us as a people,” read the statement signed by the 10 MLAs.
The statement further adds, “As the state of Manipur has miserably failed to protect us, we seek of the Union of India a separate administration under the Constitution of India and live peacefully as neighbours with the state of Manipur.”
Other BJP MLAs who were signatories to the statement include Haokholet Kipgen, L.M. Khaute, Nemcha Kipgen, Ngursanglur Sanate, Letzamang Haokip, Paolienlal Haokip and Vungzagin Valte. Valte, who was injured after a violent mob assaulted him in Imphal on 3 May, is currently undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Apollo Hospital.
The statement says that the unabated violence that began on 3 May in Manipur “perpetrated by majority Meiteis and tacitly supported by the existing government of Manipur against the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi hill tribals, has already partitioned the state and effected a total separation from the state of Manipur”.
“Our people can no longer exist under Manipur as the hatred against our tribal community reached such a height that MLAs, ministers, pastors, police and civil officers, laymen, women and even children were not spared, not to mention the destruction of places of worship, homes and properties. To live amidst the Meitei again is as good as death for our people,” the statement adds.
Paolienlal Haokip, BJP MLA from Saikot, told ThePrint, “Looking at the prevailing situation, we have issued this statement today. We will decide our future course of action in the days to come.”
Haokip refused to answer if the BJP MLAs will continue to be a part of the Biren Singh-led BJP government.
Although the tension between the tribals and non-tribals had been simmering for years, violence erupted following a solidarity march called by the All-Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on 3 May to oppose the demand to grant Scheduled Tribe status to the non-tribal Meitei community.
Tribal groups including the Kuki and Zomi enjoy ST status in Manipur, while the non-tribal Meiteis do not.
The Kukis, who are dominant in the hill areas, were also opposed to the state government’s action since February to evict encroachers cultivating poppy in reserved forests. The action of the state government was seen by the tribal Kuki-Zomi groups as targeting members of their community.
The state has been under curfew for nine consecutive days now with the internet shut down. The situation continues to be tense with sporadic incidents of violence reported from hill districts of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur over the last three days.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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