Let's exert strong pressure on Centre: NPP to valley MLAs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 06 2023: Condemning in the strongest term the brutal and dastardly murder of three sleeping men by Kuki militants at Kwakta yesterday, National People's Party (NPP) has called upon all the 40 MLAs elected from the valley Assembly constituencies including the Chief Minister to exert strong pressure on the Centre against any demand for separate administration or Union Territory.

Speaking to media persons at their Naoremthong office today, NPP National vice-president Yumnam Joykumar said that the murder of three sleeping men by Kuki militants after sneaking into their houses at Kwakta yesterday is highly condemnable.

Such brutal, dastardly and inhuman murder was unheard of even in places where there were full scale wars, Joykumar said.

Casualties suffered at frontlines or battle fields is another matter, he said. The incident of parading two women naked was perpetrated by an enraged mob in the course of the ongoing violence.

The incident of shooting and hacking three men while they were sleeping ought to be condemned by all the people in the strongest terms, said the NPP leader.

The ongoing violence was ignited by the so called tribal solidarity rally taken out at Churachandpur on May 3, purportedly against the Meiteis' demand for enlistment in the Scheduled Tribe category which was participated by a number of well armed militants and culminated with large scale violence and arson at the Meitei village of Torbung Bangla, he asserted.

Rallies taken out against the Meitei's demand for ST status on the same day in Naga dominated districts ended peacefully.

This implies that the ongoing violence has nothing to do with the Meiteis' demand for ST status, Joykumar averred.

He asserted that the Kukis started the ongoing violence with a secret agenda.

However, Kukis have been consistently feeding false information and fabricated reports to the National media claiming that they are being suppressed by the Meiteis and a number of churches have been burnt down, he said.

The ongoing crisis is a result of a sinister attempt by the combined force of armed Kuki militants belonging to PDF who infiltrated into Manipur and Kuki militants under SoO pact for creation of a separate administration or Union Territory out of Manipur and Meitei people's stiff opposition to the same demand, Joykumar asserted.

Saying that the Kuki militants' demand cannot be conceded under any circumstances, the NPP vice-president appealed to all the people of Manipur to unite together and fight collectively against the Kuki militants' attempt to disintegrate Manipur.

If the Government of India commits the fait accompli of conceding to the Kuki militants' demand, not only Meiteis but all the communities of Manipur would not have any future, he warned.

He also appealed to all the people to stand firm and fight as one against the Kuki militants' attempt to shift the infamous Golden Triangle to Manipur.

Leaving aside all their differences, all the 40 MLAs elected from the valley constituencies need to work collectively under the leadership of the Chief Minister and impress the Government of India that the Kukis' demand for separate administration or Union Territory does not merit consideration.

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