Avoid reviving Manipur's past wounds : KKL
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 13 2025: The Government of India must never take steps that may undermine or break Manipur's integrity and make her people relive the wounds of the "controversial" 1949 Merger Agreement, said Kangleipak Kanba Lup, Manipur.

The Central Government and the State authorities must instead protect and safeguard the State's integrity at all times, it said in a press statement issued to the media today.

Seeking attention of the Centre and State authorities, KKL said no communities residing in Manipur of any other force must never be allowed to challenge her identity and integrity.

The Centre must never disregard the sentiments of the indigenous people and take steps to break Manipur apart.

Any such efforts to break Manipur apart may freshly remind people of the wounds of the 1949 Merger Agreement and force them to erupt against India, KKL said.

The indigenous people of Manipur must be able to feel proud of the Nation and coexist in harmony.

The Government of India must shed all divisive policies and take every step to safeguard the State and her indigenous people, it added.

As it has given Scheduled Tribe status to other communities in Manipur, the Centre must also give this recognition to the indigenous Meiteis to enable them to protect and preserve themselves Constitutionally, KKL said.

Amid the crisis, thousands of people have become refugees in their own State, and Meiteis are unable to move beyond the Central valley.

The Government of India must strictly enforce Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution and allow Meiteis to move freely within their own State.

The Meiteis, like other citizens, must be able to enjoy every Constitutional right, KKL added.

Protecting Manipur's integrity must be integral to India's identity and integrity.

The Centre must take every step to protect Manipur's as well as India's integrity, KKL said.

The Centre and the State authorities must crackdown on illegal immigrants, illegal drug trade and face all external aggression.

The National Register of Citizens (NRC) must be updated in Manipur and all forces trying to break Manipur and India's integrity must be punished, stressed KKL.

Further, village volunteers who had taken up arms to protect their people and villages must not be treated as criminals, it said.

The village volunteers were forced to take up arms to protect themselves, their people and villages.

The Centre and the State authorities must expedite policies to bring them back to the mainstream, it added.

Comment