10 KUKI MLAS DEMAND ‘SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION’
In the aftermath of recent arson and gory violence that rocked Manipur, all ten MLAs belonging to the Kuki community have accused the Biren Singh government of failing miserably to protect the community and therefore, have resolved to pursue for grant of a “separate administration under the Constitution of India” and live peacefully as neighbours with Manipur.
Seven of the signatories are BJP MLAs, two are ministers and one an advisor to the BJP chief minister N Biren Singh. Of the remaining three MLAs two belong to the Kuki People’s Alliance and an Independent.
The legislators include– Ngursanglur Sanate, Letpao Haokip, LM Khaute, Letzamang Haokip, Paolienlal Haokip, Nemcha Kipgen and Vungjagin Valte from the BJP. Two from the KPA include -Kimneo Haokip Hangshing and Chinlunthang Zou while Haokholet Kipgen is an independent member.
In a joint statement, the MLAs maintained that the violence that began on May 3 in Manipur, was allegedly “perpetrated by majority Meiteis and tacitly supported by the Government of Manipur against the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi hill tribals” They said the tacit support lent to the mobs by the Biren Singh government has served to partition Manipur and consequently effected “a total separation from the State of Manipur.”
They said the Kuki community can no longer exist under Manipur “as the hatred against our tribal community reached such a height that MLAs, ministers, pastors, police and civil officers, laymen, women and even children were not spared; not to mention of the destruction of places of worship, homes and properties”.
The signatory MLAs said to be made to live among the Meiteis again was “as good as death for our people.”
The signatories said that as elected representatives of their people and in respecting their sentiments, they have endorsed their political aspiration for separation of their districts from Manipur.
The MLAs also said they have decided to hold a political consultation with their people at the earliest regarding further steps which they will be taking.
Meanwhile, BJP chief minister Biren Singh has been wracked by dissidence even as early April when four BJP legislators, came out in defiance of his leadership.
The flurry of legislators quitting government posts began on April 13, when former cop and Heirok MLA Thokchom Radheshyam Singh resigned as the CM’s advisor, saying he had “not been given any responsibility”. In the week that followed, two more legislators– Karam Shyam,MLA from Langthabal and P Brojen Singh , MLA from Wangjing Tentha – quit their posts as heads of Manipur Tourism Corporation and Manipur Development Society, respectively. Two of them — Thokchom Radheshyam and Karam Shyam- had been cabinet ministers in Biren’s first term.
The four legislators were among the MLAs who had also reportedly camped at Delhi to voice their grievances to the BJP high command. Apart from the four, there were reports of a few other BJP MLAs who were unhappy with the style of functioning of Biren Singh.