Guwahati:In a significant development 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, including seven from the BJP, on Thursday slammed the ruling NDA legislators-led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for a resolution calling for mass operations against the Kuki militants allegedly responsible for the recent killing of six civilians, including three children, in Jiribam.
The Kuki-Zo legislators in a joint statement said that the resolution on mass operations against only one community is biased. Regretting the resolution against the community passed in presence of the Chief Minister, the legislators asserted that the operations must be conducted across the state to recover the illegal arms from all militia groups.
The Kuki-Zo legislators further stated, “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.”
Taking note of the resolution that also urged the Centre to review the imposition of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas, the Kuki-Zo legislators said that the imposition of AFSPA needs immediate review to extend the Act to the remaining 13 police jurisdictions within Imphal valley to facilitate the recovery of over 6,000 sophisticated weapons looted by “Meitei militia” since May 3, 2023.
Pointing out that this is a long overdue action required to contain the violence, the legislators said that 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’.
The Kuki-Zo legislators stated, “We recommend that all civilian killings from May 3, 2023, both in the valley and the hills, be handed over to the NIA.”
They also stated that 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 organisations under relevant laws.
The legislators in their joint statement also 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.
