GUWAHATI: Manipur’s 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, including seven from the ruling BJP, slammed a section of NDA legislators, led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, for their resolution calling for “mass operations” against the Kuki militants responsible for the recent killing of six civilians, including three children, in Jiribam.
In a joint statement, the Kuki-Zo MLAs said the resolution on mass operations against only one community is biased. They insisted that the operations must be conducted across the state to recover the illegal arms from all militia groups.
On the NDA legislators’ resolution to urge the Centre to review the imposition of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six polling station areas, the Kuki-Zo MLAs said the imposition of AFSPA needs immediate review to extend the Act to the remaining 13 police jurisdictions within Manipur/Imphal valley to facilitate the recovery of over 6,000 sophisticated weapons looted by "Meitei militia" since May 3, 2023.
This is a long overdue action required to contain the violence, they said, adding the resolution seeking the handing over of cases relating to the death of six civilians in Jiribam to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also smacked of a 'communalised state'.
“We recommend that all civilian killings from the 3rd of May, 2023, both in the valley and the hills, be handed over to the NIA,” the Kuki-Zo MLAs said.
They said the resolution, urging the Centre to declare “Kuki militants” responsible for the six civilians’ killing as an unlawful organisation, must be preceded by the declaration of Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun as unlawful organizations under relevant laws.
“Time and again, the one-sided state government has taken undue advantage of the Jiribam incident in suppressing and curtailing the rights of the disadvantaged tribal community…The Centre and the state government must take all necessary steps to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur by way of initiating political dialogue,” the Kuki-Zo MLAs said.
They condemned the burning and looting of the houses and properties of ministers and MLAs from the Meitei community by irate mobs in the Imphal valley. They said the proposed high-powered committee should investigate the role/involvement of vested interest political parties and individuals/civil society leaders with secessionist mindsets taking undue advantage of the situation.
