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At Delhi sit-in, Kuki-Zo MLAs question govt’s silence over Manipur

By, New Delhi
Dec 11, 2024 06:03 AM IST

The MLAs also signed a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, listing their demands for the strife-torn state.

Seven Manipur MLAs, all from the Kuki-Zo community, held a “silent protest” at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday against the central government for not taking urgent “steps to prevent loss of life and property”, and reiterated their demand for a separate administration for their community.

Kuki MLAs from Manipur stage a silent sit-in protest demanding the restoration of peace in the violence-affected Manipur, at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI PHOTO)
Kuki MLAs from Manipur stage a silent sit-in protest demanding the restoration of peace in the violence-affected Manipur, at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI PHOTO)

Of the seven MLAs, five are from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A total of 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, including two ministers from CM Singh’s cabinet, have rebelled against Manipur chief minister Biren Singh as the ethnic violence that hit the state last year has spiralled to claim at least 260 lives so far. Three of them, however, could not come to New Delhi for the protest.

“We, the ten MLAs representing the persecuted minority community in Manipur hold this silent sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar today to demonstrate the fact that Gol refuses to hear the voice of the people we represent,” a joint statement from the MLAs said on Tuesday.

The MLAs refused to speak to the media, and issued the statement which said that because they have “been lent a deaf ear for the past 19 months by the government of India”, they were “symbolically wearing gags (masks) to portray our voice and therefore the voice of our people have been muted”.

“Our gagged silence today portrays the silencing of justice, but our protest signify our love for India and justice. We want an early end to ethnic cleansing violence against our people who are citizens of this great nation, India, that is Bharat,” the statement further said.

The MLAs also signed a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, listing their demands for the strife-torn state, including expediting political dialogue to restore peace, seeking funds for development of hill areas, where Kuki-Zo tribals live, through the elected representatives and not chief minister.

“There is an official memorandum all of us have signed and addressed to the PM… we are not giving individual statement, but we are here to protest against the Centre for not urgently taking steps to prevent loss of life and property,” one of the BJP legislators, who asked not to be named, said.

“This (protest) is also against the Manipur government run by chief minister Biren Singh for his role in the violence and his step motherly treatment of the hills people,” the MLA said. Chief Minister Biren Singh, who is a Meitei, has been accused of not releasing funds for the hill districts. The CM’s office, however, has repeatedly denied these allegations.

The protest at Jantar Mantar was the first time in the last 19 months when the MLAs have protested against the Centre. Legislators at the protest site also included Vungzagin Valte, who was in a wheelchair. Valte, the Thanlon MLA was left paralysed following in a mob attack in Imphal on May 4 last year.

“We had met home minister Amit Shah last year. He told us that for any political solution, there has to be peace first. It is the people in the valley, who are starting the violence. Remember, the most recent cycle of violence last month was started by people who killed the Hmar woman. The Centre knows this too but are not acting so this is why we are protesting,” a second BJP MLA, who too asked not to be named, said.

Manipur has been in the throes of violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3 last year. The ethnic strife has claimed at least 260 lives and left tens of thousands displaced from their homes.

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