10 Kuki MLAs Take UT Demand to Delhi

In a renewed push for a separate administration or Union Territory (UT) for Kukis in Manipur, ten Kuki MLAs, including seven BJP legislators, staged a dharna in Delhi on Tuesday. The protest, held at Jantar Mantar, was followed by a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention to end the ongoing violence in the northeastern state.

The Kuki MLAs, in a joint statement, reiterated that the creation of a separate UT with a legislature is the only viable solution to the ethnic conflict in Manipur. They also strongly criticized the delay in political talks with key tribal groups such as the United Peoples' Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), condemning proposals to end the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with select armed groups.

The SoO agreement, signed in 2008 between the UPF, KNO, and the government, was intended to address political issues and promote peace. However, the Kuki MLAs argued that halting the agreement goes against its very purpose, warning that such actions could deepen existing divisions.

Since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, Kuki-Zo tribal organizations, along with the 10 Kuki MLAs, have boycotted Manipur’s Assembly sessions, demanding a separate administration for the tribal population. Both the Centre and the state government have repeatedly rejected these calls for a separate UT.

In their memorandum, the Kuki MLAs also highlighted the longstanding neglect of the hill districts by the Meitei-majority state government, particularly in development matters. They expressed concern that the situation had worsened during the ongoing conflict, pointing out that affected hill districts were excluded from receiving Central financial assistance under the ‘PM-DevINE’ scheme for healthcare projects.

The 10 Kuki MLAs urged the central government to implement interim mechanisms and budgetary provisions to support development in tribal-dominated districts until a final political resolution is reached.

This protest followed a similar demonstration by the INDIA bloc leaders from Manipur the day before, who also called for the Prime Minister's intervention to resolve the 19-month-long ethnic strife. Opposition leaders, including Congress’ Jairam Ramesh, Gaurav Gogoi, and CPI’s D Raja, participated in the protest, accusing both the Centre and state government of failing to address the crisis.