MHA team departs after meeting KIM
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, January 24 2024:
The three-member team of Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday met with leaders of Kuki-Zo body, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), and later left for New Delhi on an Air Asia flight around 5.45 pm.
According to a report, the MHA team led by AK Mishra met the KIM leaders on Wednesday after previously meeting the Arambai Tenggol (AT) leaders.
During the meeting, KIM accused AT of being in possession of over 6000 sophisticated firearms and ammunition, supposedly supplied by the Manipur government.
It further alleged that AT is in collusion with insurgent groups.
It also informed the MHA team it would be difficult for the team to bring an end to the over eight-month long conflict.
Mention may be made here that the MHA team comprising SoO interlocutor AK Mishra, IB joint director (New Delhi) Mandeep Tuli and joint direct (SIB Imphal) Rajesh Kamble landed in Imphal on June 22 evening.
Soon after their arrival, the team held a meeting with AT leaders at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP and titular king of Manipur Leisemba Sanajaoba, wherein AT demanded implementation of NRC with 1951 as the base year, withdrawal of Suspension of Operation (SoO) with Kuki militants, deportation of Myanmarese refugees to Mizoram, border fencing, replacement of Assam Rifles with a non-partisan paramilitary force, and delisting of Kukis from the Scheduled Tribes list.
The MHA team came to the state in the wake of AT summoning the Meetei MLAs and MPs for a joint meeting at the historic Kangla Fort on January 24 (Wednesday), while cautioning of grave consequences in case of failing to show up.
It further warned that no MLA or MP is allowed to resign before January 24.On Wednesday, the Meetei MLAs and MPs attended the meeting and took an oath with AT to protect the integrity of Manipur.