Kukis think poppy flowers are beautiful: LM Khaute
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 25 2023: Former DGP and sitting MLA of Churachandpur assembly constituency LM Khaute has claimed that some Kuki people cultivate poppy thinking that its flowers are beautiful.

He made the remark in a recent interview in the podcast of retired Major (Dr) Md Ali Shah on YouTube.

In the podcast, the JD-U MLA, who pledged support to the BJP government, said that wealthy people from the valley lure the poor people in the hill to plant poppy.

Some of the hill people are ignorant that they plant poppy thinking that the flowers are beautiful without understanding the impact, he said.

The former DGP also rejected the official report that shows maximum of the poppy cultivated areas lies in Kuki-Zo populated areas and went on to say that the plantation area covers most of the hill districts.

He further said that armed groups of Kuki-Zo community do not support illegal poppy plantation.

The MLA further said that out of the 2518 persons arrested in drug related cases, around 1000 are from hill districts and around 1500 from valley districts.

He said that calling the whole community as drug traffickers or poppy cultivators is unacceptable and added that the poppy cultivators are poor people, who are looking for their livelihood.

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