Delhi protest exposes Kuki lies, wakes up Centre
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 06 2023: Delhi Meetei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) in association with Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) organised a protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi on Sunday to highlight the unrest situation in Manipur and to raise voice against the aggression by Kuki communities, and threat posed to integrity and identity of the state.

Speaking at the protest site, JNU professor Dr Bimol Akoijam maintained that people have heard the lies of the other community here in Delhi but the Meetei people are not here to spread lies but to stand firm on the truth.

It is obvious to get some sting if one pokes the beehive.

At the same time, it is also true that there were some excessive acts during the heat of the violence but that should not judge the situation.

There are also forces instigating the violence and people of Manipur, as a civilisation with thousands of years, should understand the instigators and their vested motives.

On the other hand, Meetei community just woke up from a deep slumber and started to realise how some communities are plotting behind the shadow while Meeteis are preaching for a peaceful co-existence, and should be thankful to Kukis for waking up the Meeteis.

They have been indulging in propaganda for several years by fabricating history and creating misunderstanding on history, land and people to people connection.

Since centuries, forests in the foothill areas were kept under the control of Meeteis as forest overlooking valley.

Meetei is a community, which holds deep value for forest, which is why the community worships forest (sylvan) deities and Meetei villages are full of trees and bamboos.

"If you are silent when your motherland is stripped bare then you are not a Manipuri.

To those Meiteis who aren't standing up for our mother even now, I am asking are you real Meiteis if you are not speaking up even when your mother is being torn apart and disrobed? .

And valuable advices to all warriors to not forget the values taught to us by our ancestors even as we face lies and fakes, to not stoop low but to remain assertive and not aggressive," Dr Bimol said.

Though Hindu was introduced and became a major religion in Manipur, people uphold the indigenous religion and it can be seen by observing how even a Brahmin worships Sanama-hi in his home.

In another sense, every Meetei house is a temple as it is mandatory for every home to have separate space for Ima Leimarel Sidabi and Lainingthou Sanamahi.

As such, burning a Meetei house amounts to burning a temple.

Even after getting killed and chased out from their homes, Meeteis are shouting for restoring peace.

This love for peace should not be taken as a weakness or fear.

Meetei knows that violence is not always the solution and the community is holding back in this crisis for the sake of the future, he contended.

It is unfortunate that a country like India,.

which boasts of becoming a global superpower and having the largest democracy in the world, has been unable to control the situation till date.

A simple question on the inability of the government of India to control the situation brings up several questions on the possibilities of hidden agenda behind the crisis, which is not only for the Kukis.

Ihe Security forces are setting up barbed wire fence and resorting to shelling tear gas against Meira Paibis.

There are even reports of possibility of using toxic chemicals as a means of mob control due to which many mothers are vomiting blood in hospitals.

However, on the other hand, the same central security forces are letting free hand to the women and even armed mobs from the other community to do whatever they want.

There are no reports of central security forces using excessive forces, against the other community, which is why the Meeteis are expressing resentment against them.

Instead of building trusts by taking up initiatives, they are threatening the unarmed Meira Paibis, who came out to protect the territory of the state.

Politicians in the valley should come out in support of the public when there is a public rally demanding protection of the state's territory.

They should not hide in their well-protected residences.

The elected representatives should take proactive role in debunking the disinformation created by Kukis.

Manipuris never branded the whole Indian Army as rapists when Assam Rifles raped and murdered Thangjam Manorama.

Similarly, it would be wrong to call the whole community as rapists in the light of the viral video of May 4 incident, Dr Bimol reasoned.

COCOMI spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba also spoke at length on the truth behind the crisis in the state and called the plan of ITLF to create a mass graveyard at Torbung Bangla as an act of further provocation.

He accused the ITLF and Kuki militants of attempting to paint the colour of patriotism to terrorism.

He spoke on how ITLF and some other Kuki bodies submitted series of memorandum, which are full of lies, to different persons and institutions.

He further said that COCOMI had already submitted detailed information on the truth behind the current crisis to the union home minister and others.

Akhil Hindu Parishad leader Rajiv Tiwari, who also participated in the protest, said that the organisation will stand for the Meeteis.

Even if the government fails to protect the Meeteis, Hindus will protect them, he affirmed while asking the Meeteis not to feel disheartened.

Cyclist activist Rohan Philem, RPI (A) national secretary Maheshwar Thounaojam, academician Dr Malem Ningthouja, Dr Seram Rojesh and several others also spoke on the present situation in the state during the protest.

Later, DMCC submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding the Central government to immediately stop armed aggression by Kuki militants on the vulnerable sections; prevent cross border illegal infiltration, detect and deport illegal immigrants who are hiding with or without forged documents; detect and confine Burmese refugees in designated shelters on humanitarian ground; fight cross border narco-terrorism; abrogate the tripartite Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with Kuki militants; replace Assam Rifles with some other more professional central force; provide adequate relief and rehabilitation to the victims of communal mayhem and orchestrated armed aggression; and refrain from facilitating any form of administrative division based on either ethnic lines or on a segregated and isolated ethnic identity.

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