Meira rallies decry Army chief's remarks
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 04 2024:
In response to the call by Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), Meira rallies were organised in various parts of the state on Friday evening to protests recent comments made by Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, which have been widely condemned by local groups.
The rallies saw participation of Meira Paibi groups, local clubs, and concerned citizens, who marched through the streets with traditional torches in hand, chanting slogans such as "Stop India's Proxy War Against Meetei", "Stop Divide and Rule Policy", and "We Will Defend Our Motherland".
In Imphal area, the protests were taken out in areas like Sagolband, Tera, Wahengbam Leikai, Uripok, Naoremthong, Khurai, Lamlong, Kwakeithel, Keisampat, and Singjamei, among others.
The protest stemmed from remarks made by General Dwivedi, where he stated that there was no infiltration of armed militants in Manipur and that the people entering from Myanmar were unarmed civilians fleeing the civil war.
He also described the ongoing Kuki-Meetei conflict, as being fuelled by fake narratives, and dismissed allegations of drone bombings.
COCOMI, however, has rejected the Army chief's statements, calling them "lies" and comparing them to political rhetoric.
In a press conference on Thursday, COCOMI coordinator Th Somorendro criticised General Dwivedi's remarks, claiming they reflected a coordinated effort between the home and defence ministries to spread misinformation.
He accused the Central government of using Kuki militants as part of a "proxy war " aimed at disintegrating Manipur.
COCOMI also alleged that the Government of India is deliberately prolonging the 17-month-old conflict in the state, rather than resolving it.
According to COCOMI, the Central government's policies are part of a larger agenda to divide Manipur into separate territories.
The Meira rallies served as a powerful demonstration of the public's rejection of these claims, with protestors calling for unity and resistance against what they perceive as interference in the state's internal affairs.