Amit Shah's statement in LS derided
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, August 13 2023: Strongly condemning Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement in the Parliament, Kuki women in Kangpokpi held a demonstration near Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi district today.

Thousands of Kuki women participated in the sit-in-protest under the aegis of CoTU's Women Wing.

The protestors held placards which read "Amit Shah needs to own his mistake", "Amit Shah needs to clarify his tongue slip in Parliament", "We will pay a heavy price for Amit Shah's tongue slip", "We are Indians, not illegal infiltrators", "Our existence in Manipur predates British rule", "Union Home Minister has disheartened us with his remark in Parliament", "Amit Shah, your remark looks as if the Centre and the State are hands-in gloves in the ethnic cleansing", "Instead of sacking Biren you still defended him, what is your agenda?" and "Rise above party politics in dealing with Manipur crisis" among others.

Amit Shah's statement in LS derided

Addressing the gathering, Neinu, CoTU's Women Wing Convenor said that the Kuki women in Kangpokpi congregated today to demonstrate their disappointment over the disheartening remark of the Union Home Minister in Parliament.

She also said that the Union Home Minister must own his mistake and clarify his "slip of tongue" in the Parliament.

Neinu, then, urged the Union Minister to initiate and expedite the process of bringing a solution to the demands of the Kuki people during the talks with the UPF and KNO on August 17 .

The women led by Rev Sholal also offered prayers.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills expressed its dismay over the Union Home Minister's statement in the Parliament on August 9 claiming that the current ethnic violence is a result of the influx of "Kukis" from Myanmar following the military coup in February 2021 .

Ng Lun Kipgen, Coordinator of the CoTU's Media Cell said that blaming a minority community for causing mayhem in Manipur is an irresponsible statement and the CoTU condemns such remarks in the strongest terms.

He said that in contradiction to the statement made by the Union Home Minister, there is no such outfit called Kuki Democratic Front in Myanmar or in Manipur.

With regard to the alleged role of illegal immigrants causing chaos and conflict in the State, Kipgen claimed that it has been refuted by Government officials per-se as Defense officials, including Chief of Defense Staff, General Anil Chauhan; Dr Major (retd) Amit Bansal; Lt General Shokin Chauhan, former DG of Assam Rifles; Lt General PC Nair, DG Assam Rifles and others have already clarified in various mediums.

He also said that in such circumstances, the CoTU urged the Union Home Minister to rephrase his statement and to transcend the barriers of politics so that the concerns of the Kuki community for a separate administration is addressed.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes, also condemned the Union Home Minister's statement in Parliament terming it as an "unparliamentary and disheartening" remark.

Kuki Inpi Manipur Information and Publicity Secretary, Janghaolun Haokip said that the KIM strongly deplored the statement made by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Terming the remark as 'largely speculative with no valid proof or evidence', he alleged that the present carnage in Manipur has no link with the "much-hyped influx" of Kukis into Manipur or Mizoram.

"Echoing N Biren Singh's prejudicial statements, false allegations and concocted narratives in the temple of democracy by a Minister as high as the caliber of Union Home Minister without objective analysis/empirical evidence is abhorrent, nonsensical and disastrous", he added.

He also said that the Union Home Minister has not only obliterated but also negated the Kukis of their history, origin, and identity.

He further accused the Biren Singh Government of misleading and misinforming the Centre about the Kukis due to immense pressure from the insurgent groups.

The KIM leader also said that it is not only deeply shocking but also gravely alarming to project the Kukis in a bad, damaging light who had made enormous contributions to India's freedom struggle (1942-45) by joining the Indian National Army under the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose besides fighting against the British in the Anglo-Kuki War (1917-1919) for three consecutive years.

Thus, he urged the Union Home Minister to rise above party politics and clarify his remark with evidence, if any, and disown his statement by tendering apology to the aggrieved Kukis in case he fails to produce concrete evidence.