GUWAHATI: As violence continued in Manipur, the influential Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Sunday announced a boycott of the ruling BJP in the state, while shutdown calls by different groups threatened to disrupt normal life in the Imphal valley and Naga areas.
COCOMI, a conglomerate of Imphal valley-based Meitei civil society organisations, appealed to people not to participate in any activity of the BJP or its leaders, even as it demanded a detailed statement from Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on why his government had not been able to prevent the attacks on civilians.
“It’s a self-styled government, as he (Singh) is not connected to any civil society organisation of any community in the state. Wherever he has moved, it seems to be very personal. He has forgotten the core agenda of ‘narco-terrorists’ and militants moving around, killing innocent people,” Shanta Nahakpam, a senior member of COCOMI, said while addressing media persons.
He further stated that, in the opinion of COCOMI and the people of the state, everyone in the BJP was responsible for failing to secure a response from the central government on the “proxy war” against the indigenous population.
“The Chief Minister, the present government and the previous government have not been able to provide any answers on the proxy war. Therefore, COCOMI and the people of Manipur announce the boycott of any activity of the BJP in Manipur. We appeal to everyone not to participate in any kind of activity of the BJP or any of its elected members and leaders,” Nahakpam said.
The Imphal valley witnessed widespread protests in recent days against a bomb attack, allegedly carried out by Kuki militants, in Bishnupur district, in which a five-year-old boy and a six-month-old infant girl were killed and their mother was injured.
Meanwhile, normal activities are likely to be affected in the Imphal valley from Sunday, following a five-day statewide shutdown call given by Meitei women’s groups and civil society organisations. They have set April 25 as the deadline for authorities to arrest all those involved in the bomb attack.
The state’s Home Minister, Govindas Konthoujam, appealed to the organisations to withdraw the shutdown in the interest of public welfare and the normal functioning of the state.
In a separate development, Manipur’s apex Naga organisation, the United Naga Council (UNC), announced a three-day shutdown in Naga areas from midnight of April 20 to midnight of April 23 to mourn Saturday’s killings of two Naga individuals and “as a collective expression of condemnation”.
The two victims, including a retired Army jawan, were killed in a suspected sniper attack while they were travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul.
In a statement, the UNC said a candlelight vigil would be observed on April 23 in all Naga district headquarters and Imphal “to honour the departed souls and to reaffirm our commitment to peace with dignity”.
“During the three days of mourning, the Nagas in Manipur shall suspend all social and economic ties with the Kukis in accordance with Naga customary practice,” the statement said.
Some Naga organisations alleged that “Kuki SoO” (Suspension of Operations) rebels were involved in the killings. Kuki organisations dismissed the allegation.