GUWAHATI: Manipur's nine Naga MLAs have written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding the arrest of Kuki-Zo rebel leaders allegedly involved in the killing of Naga civilians and action against Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen for “colluding” with a Kuki insurgent group.
The MLAs — five from the Naga People's Front (NPF), two from the BJP, one from the National People's Party (NPP) and one independent — issued a veiled warning that their support for the BJP-led state government could be at risk if the Centre failed to act on their demands.
In a letter addressed to Shah, they demanded the arrest of Kuki-Zo leaders who publicly claimed responsibility for the killing and dismemberment of six Naga civilians, as well as Thangboi Kipgen, head of the insurgent group Kuki National Front (Presidential faction) and Nemcha's husband.
“Initiate action against Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen as her office is colluding with the Kuki militant group led by her husband Thangboi Kipgen…” the letter, signed by eight MLAs, read.
The legislators, including Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho of the NPF, also demanded the immediate abrogation of the “Suspension of Operation” agreement signed by the Centre with about two dozen Kuki-Zo rebel groups, citing alleged repeated violations and acts of terror against civilians.
“When the mutilated bodies of the six Naga men are still unclaimed in protest against the non-arrest of the perpetrators, another four Naga men were mercilessly killed in the IT road ambush on August 27, carried out by the Kuki militants,” the MLAs wrote, citing other incidents of violence.
They warned that if action was not initiated, they would be “unable to defend or adequately respond to the challenges raised by the public concerning our continued support to the Government of Manipur.”
“This step is being taken solely in the larger interest of the people of Manipur, and out of absolute necessity,” they further wrote.
The six Naga civilians in question were killed after being abducted. The incident followed the May 13 killing of three church leaders from the Thadou community in an ambush in Kangpokpi district.
Manipur had 10 Naga MLAs. One of them, N Kayisii of the NPP, died in January last year.