The Kuki Inpi Manipur or KIM, the apex body of the Kuki tribes, and the Committee on Tribal Unity, or CoTU Sadar Hills Kangpokpi vehemently negated Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s statement in an interview with the Times of India.
KIM Information and Publicity Secretary, Janghaolun Haokip said that N. Biren Singh has brazenly stated that Manipur violence was planned years ago to press for a separate nation against every evidence and fact while the audacity and impenitence of Biren Singh is exasperating.
He said that the root cause of the May 3 mayhem in Manipur is the mindless prejudice and illegitimate predilection for the persecution of the Kuki-Zo people by the Meiteis-led Manipur state leadership, the adoption of chauvinistic policies, the discrimination, oppression, and alienation of the Kuki-Zo people and the subsequent radicalization and militarization of the Meiteis chiefly under organizations as the Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun.
He continued that the violence was in fact pre-planned as Biren Singh suggested as it was pre-planned by the radical Meitei groups under the banners of Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun and in tandem with the Meitei-led Manipur State Government. In fact, these Meitei radical groups have started harassing and abusing the Kuki-Zo people since May 2 in the name of counter-blockade, while the immediate trigger of the conflict was the killing of one Pastor Sehkhohao Kipgen at Kangvai by the Meitei radicals on the evening of May 3.
Similarly, the allegation of a pre-planned attack in the name of a peaceful rally is utterly confounding, he added.
He also said that for the record, the peaceful rally was organized by the All tribal Students’ Forum Manipur (ATSUM), and therefore his allegation is baseless.
He said that despite the audacious and repeated attempts of Manipur Chief Minister Mr Biren Singh and the popular Meitei leadership to avoid and alter substantial evidence and facts, the ongoing conflict in Manipur is indubitable that it is a state-sponsored and pre-planned ethnic cleansing against the Kuki-Zo people.
He then said that the notion of a “Separate Nation” as Biren Singh has supposed can only suggest his inherent tendency to subvert the rule of law and the notion defies all constitutional consciousness.
The demand for a “Separate Administration” from the Meitei-dominated Manipur State is a legitimate Constitutional Provision and to misinterpret it otherwise is an open defiance of the sanctity of the Constitution of India, he added.
Moreover, the notion of a “Separate Nation” is true in relation to the secessionist movements of the Meitei Terrorist groups and Meitei radicals who have actively been involved in anti-national activities -the attack on Indian Security Forces, the boycott of Independence Day and Republic Day, the burning of the Indian National Flag and the rising voice for an Independent Kangleipak -an Independent Meitei Kingdom, he further asserted.
Haokip also said that in contrast to N. Biren Singh’s allegations over the incumbent Chief Minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga of speaking on the Manipur conflict for political mileage, the Kuki-Zo people are immensely grateful for all the humanitarian aid extended by people from all over the country in a time when our community is facing an existential crisis.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity or CoTU Sadar Hills Kangpokpi Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh remarked in an interview with Times of India should not be considered as a statement from a responsible Chief Minister but as an individual who is deluded with communal jingoism.
CoTU Media Cell’s Coordinator, NG. Lun Kipgen said that the time lies of N. Biren Singh speak for himself and highlighted the alleged time lies of N. Biren Singh.
In a press conference on 4th May, N. Biren Singh admitted that the ethnic violence is a result of a misunderstanding between two communities.
On 21 May, he shifted his statement, stating that the ethnic violence resulted in a lapse of security and intelligence failure.
On 18th May, the parents of the two paraded victims filed a complaint, it was only after the video surfaced in the public domain on 19th July, that it took the media exposure to arrest the culprits.
On 30th September, the NIA arrested Seiminlun Gangte, an assistant teacher working in the VN model school. The next day he remarked that the Kuki militants backed by foreign elements were waging war against India.
On 1st October, the principal of VN Model School clarified that the arrested person has no criminal history and has been a regular employee working for the past five years.
It may be recalled that the Manipur People’s Bill 2015, was the brainchild of N. Biren Singh to erase the powers of the Autonomous District Council. The bill shook the entire state costing nine precious lives including a minor.
CoTU then alleged that the entire narrative pursued by N. Biren Singh has no consistency per-se, and therefore, the word “Aiyaari” suits his hypocritical- manoeuvre in which innocent minorities are the victims of his tyranny.
