PIL filed against mass graveyard in sericulture farm
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 02 2023:
The International Meeteis Forum has filed a PIL in the High Court of Manipur against converting the state government's Sericulture Farm (Technical Service Centre) and Mulberry Farm into a mass graveyard by Kuki-Zo community stating that government property is a public property belonging to all communities of the state and not to a particular Kuki-Zo community.
Every tax payer has right and authority to protect the government properties, the Forum maintained.
The PIL was heard in the bench of chief justice MV Muralidaran and justice A Guneshwar Sharma on Wednesday.
In the PIL, the petitioner stated that there is an air of uncertainty in the culturally rich state of Manipur after the current crisis erupted on May 3 from Churachandpur district in which several Meetei civilians fled for their lives when they came under attack from Chin-Kuki militants.
"Many innocent lives were lost and many are rendered homeless because of attacks by armed Chin-Kuki militants/terrorists against the innocent Meetei/Meitei civilians.
The attack by these Chin-Kuki militants/terrorists is mainly in retaliation of the state government policies such as 'War on Drugs', eviction of encroachers from Reserved & Protected Forests and moreover, the demand of public for implementation of National Register of Citizen (NRC) in the state.
In this conflict, the Chin-Ku-ki militants are targeting Meetei/Meitei civilians," the petition said.
The petition further stated that Chin-Kuki, Kuki-Zo, to retaliate against the above government policies, held a rally in the name of Tribal Solidarity March on May 3, all over the hill districts.
However, in Churachandpur district the rally started at 11:30 am from Churachandpur Public Ground up to DC Office, Tuibong and the rally was participated by more than 5,000 to 6,000.Not even a single additional police personnel/constable was deployed for the rally in Churachandpur district on May 3 by the then DGP, it added.
The petitioner prayed to direct the government authorities to restrain organisation of any community from possession and conversion of government sericulture farm into burial site; to direct the ITLF and JPO or any other organisation of any community not to possess and convert the sericulture farm into burial site; and to pass an interim order in this regard.
After hearing the petition, the court directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Manipur to file their stand with regard to the issue, and posted the matter as first item on Thursday at 10.30 am .