Take a stand on NRC during session : COCOMI
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 22 2024:
The fifth session of the 12th State Assembly should take a decision to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the context of Manipur and to mount pressure on the Centre to cancel the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact with the Kuki militant groups, demanded the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) .
Addressing a press briefing at its office at Lamphelpat today, COCOMI co-ordinator Somorendro Thokchom said that Chahi Taret Khuntakpa and Anglo-Manipuri War were fallouts of the conflict among the royal families and stressed on the need for all to stand together.
He continued that there is no sign of the MLAs exercising their full authority at the individual level or in group to end the conflict.
Saying that summoning Meitei MLAs to Kangla and making them take an oath was unfortunate, the COCOMI leader said that the legislators didn't pay any attention when they demanded a special session of the State Assembly sometime back.
A resolution to update NRC should be taken during the Assembly session and the same should be forwarded to the Centre, he demanded and clarified that their demand doesn't necessarily mean all Kukis should be driven out from the State.
He exuded confidence that many problems of the State will be solved if NRC is updated and the illegal immigrants identified.
Continuing that SoO pact was first signed between Assam Rifles and Kuki militant groups in 2005 without any case of gunfight between the two sides, Somendro maintained that the Centre and the State Government became the signatories of the pact in 2008 .
The question is why the Government of India is not controlling the Kuki militants who have been taking part in the violent campaign against the Meeteis, the COCOMI leader asked.
Does the Centre take Manipur as another country and her people non-Indians, he further asked.
He reiterated that the Assembly session should make its stand clear on the SoO pact and send their resolution to the Centre.
The Government not making any arrest till date in connection with the February 15 arson in Churachandpur is questionable, Somorendro maintained.
India, which considers itself the world's largest democracy, has been watching silently the complete lawlessness in Churachandpur but flexes its muscle in the valley districts, he claimed and added that the Government has shown its weakness by not doing anything even when its own infrastructure have been attacked.