'Challenge to India'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 20 2025: Stating that agriculture is the backbone of the country's economy, the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS), Manipur has termed the attack on a sexagenarian farmer by Kuki militants yesterday as a direct challenge on India's economy.

Condemning the attack, in a press release, declared that the PR Government must be held responsible for the incident.

As the attack came days after Meitei farmers were stopped from tilling their own paddyfields at Pukhao in Imphal East while Central forces stationed in the area reportedly offered no resistance, FOCS has pronounced such incidents as deliberate efforts to prevent Meitei paddyfields from being cultivated.

Questioning the steps taken by the PR Government for both Meitei and Kuki communities to surrender weapons, FOCS asserted that the farmer attack happened because the Government's efforts were one-sided and focused only on the valley areas while similar efforts were not implemented on the Kukis in the hills.

FOCS also raised apprehension with the failure of security forces to counter the attack launched by Kuki militants despite an SSB bunker being in close proximity.

FOCS urged the Government to launch military action against the responsible Kuki militants.

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