President likens UCM office arson to 'Puya Meithaba'
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 02 2024: United Committee Manipur (UCM) president Joychandra Konthoujam has termed torching of the UCM office by unidentified miscreants recently as the third 'Puya Meithaba' while maintaining that the UCM has been persistently working for safeguarding integrity and bringing uniform development in both hills and valley of Manipur.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of sit-in-protest against alleged inability of the government to nab culprits involved in arson act at UCM office, Joychandra recalled that a massive people's movement was witnessed when the ceasefire agreement between the Government of India and NSCN-IM was extended 'without territorial' limit in 2001 .

Amidst the people's intense movement during the time, the UCM was formed as a united organisation for the people to uphold emotional and territorial integrity of Manipur, he said and strongly condemned the torching of UCM office by unidentified miscreants.

According to Joychandra, office of the Coordinating Committee of Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which has been taking key role in exposing atrocities committed by Kuki narco-terrorist on the Meetei community amid the on-going conflict, was also located at the UCM office complex and important documents relating to present violence were lost in the inferno, Joychandra said and strongly condemned the arson.

In the past, mistakes, if any, were clarified to public but there has been no clarification for the arson act at UCM office this time, he noted and asked those involved if UCM had done anything wrong.

It is not right to burn and destroy important documents and books kept for future reference.

In the year 1729, the sacred scriptures of the Meeteis called Puyas were burnt and then the state central library was torched, he recounted and asked as to why the UCM office was torched this time.

Likening the torching of UCM office to the third burning of Puyas, the UCM president said as CSOs came out for the sake of the motherland no one will benefit due to conflict among blood brothers and sisters.

He then appealed those behind torching of the UCM office to think twice for public before taking up any extreme action.

According to Joychandra Konthoujam, the present generation is suffering as forefathers of the land did not maintained documents as it is obvious that Manipur would be a progressive society had the present generation been given the opportunity to follow the path based on documents including the present border dispute.

All these were the mistakes of those in the government and they remained silent when Manipur lost territory, he said.

The UCM had been waiting for those involved in the arson to clarify but there has been no clarification till date.

If they do not like the present UCM set up, there is no harm in replacing the functionaries by holding talk, Joychandra said and appealed all to identify the enemy and fight them collectively.

The sit-in-protest was also partic-ipatecj by functionaries of COCOMI, women organisations, CSOs and leaders of Kabui community.

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