GUWAHATI: Protests continued in Manipur’s Kuki-Zo hills against three legislators from the community who are facing a social boycott for joining the newly formed state government.
The protestors on Friday burned the effigies of the trio – Dy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, MLAs LM Khaute who is a former Director General of Police, and Ngursanglur Sanate – during a “mass public rally” in Churachandpur. A shutdown was also observed by people in Churachandpur responding to the call of Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO). Protests were also staged in the border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal district. A procession was taken out there in support of the KSO’s 24-hour shutdown call. In both Churachandpur and Moreh, the shutdown crippled normal life. Markets remained closed while vehicles stayed off the roads. However, there were no reports of any untoward incidents taking place.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), which represents the Kuki-Zo tribes of Manipur, lauded people for their participation in the massive and peaceful rallies in Kuki-Zo areas.
“The overwhelming participation of the people reflects the deep anguish, anger, and collective rejection of the actions of those Kuki-Zo MLAs who have chosen to join the formation of the Manipur government, in complete disregard of the people’s sentiments, collective resolutions, and the immense suffering endured by our community,” the KZC said in a statement. It further stated that the burning of effigies during the rallies powerfully conveyed people’s unequivocal disapproval and rejection of the actions of the MLAs.
Amid the protests, the Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee of Pherzawl and Jiribam districts issued a warning against any attempt to intimidate or cause harm to MLA Ngursanglur Sanate.
“Ngursanglur Sanate is the legitimate and constitutional representative of the IT jurisdictional area, as a major portion of the said area falls within the 55-Tipaimukh Assembly constituency. Any attempt to demean, intimidate, threaten or cause harm to Ngursanglur Sanate... shall be viewed as deliberately disrespecting the collective stand of the tribal populace of Pherzawl and Jiribam areas,” the organisation stated in a statement.