NPP vice-president slams propaganda, disinformation by Kukis
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 06 2023: Accusing the Kuki community of indulging in heavy propaganda and disinformation campaign to cover up the root cause and instigators of the current crisis in the state and trying to malign the Meetei community, National People's Party (NPP) national vice-president Yumnam Joykumar has called for unmasking the drama being played by Kuki radical groups.

Addressing a press meet at the party's office here on Sunday in the presence of other party leaders, Joykumar said that the people know the root cause of the current crisis and how it started.

The tribal solidarity march on May 3 was just an excuse to perpetuate violence.

The way the violence occurred only in Churachandpur, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi districts validate that the violence was planned and executed to create mayhem in the state, he said.

The NPP vice-president also contended that the crisis is in retaliation to the state government's crackdown against illegal poppy cultivation, encroachment in reserved and protected for est areas, and illegal immigrants from Myanmar.

The Kuki bodies, which earlier demanded separate administration, is now demanding a separate UT or state so that they could carry out their illegal poppy cultivation, bring in more illegal immigrants and set up a new haven for drug cartels.

Fulfilling their demand is akin to disintegration of Manipur, he said.

Further claiming that the Kuki organisations are making all efforts to keep under wrap the nefarious agenda through intense propaganda and disinformation campaign to tarnish the image of Meeteis before national and international forum, the former deputy chief minister asserted that the Kuki community already has an established chain for communication and relaying such disinformation outside the state and country.

Compared to Kukis well versed in such tactics, there are many Meeteis who are aware about such agenda but hesitant to speak out.

Taking advantage of indecision among the Meeteis, the Kuki community has been carrying out disinformation and painting an inhumane and religious radical colour on the Meetei community in order to garner support.

They are playing the victim and minority card to draw global support, he said.

Regarding the viral video incident, Joykumar said that despite the heinous nature of the crime, it was committed in the heat of the violence and was fuelled by the excessive torture and cleansing of Meeteis in Kuki dominated areas on May 3 .

Regarding Saturday's incident of butchering three Meetei civilians in their homes by Kuki militants, he observed that such heinous crimes would be the first of its kind in a civil war like situation in the entire world.

In a war like situation, everybody accepts deaths in gunfights but Saturday's incident was cold-blooded murder committed by psychopaths which is strongly condemnable, he added.

The former Manipur police chief further said that the neutral communities in the state should be away about aggressiveness of the Kukis to avert facing unwanted consequences in the future.

Allowing the Kukis to carry out such outrageous acts will only create a drug infested society, which needs to be fought collectively, he maintained.

Mentioning about the attempt to create a mass grave at Torbung Bangla and Saturday's incident of Kuki mobs raging down Meetei houses by using heavy machineries like excavators, Joykumar said that the whole activities are nothing but to chase out the Meeteis from their home and claim ownership of the land.

He then appealed to the 40 MLAs from the valley to unite and take a stand against the aggression of Kukis and their high level political drama.

The present stand taken by the Meeteis is not only for the community but also for the entire communities of the state including innocent Kuki civilians, who are being dragged into this crisis.

The NPP vice-president also raised strong objection against Assam Rifles for blocking state police from carrying out their duty in the aftermath of the cold-blooded murder of three Meeteis.

Calling it as an unethical act on the part of Assam Rifles, he maintained that the state government should demand explanation from Assam Rifles in this regard.

With regard to despatch of 10 additional companies of central forces, Joykumar stressed the need for replacing Assam Rifles units, which have been drawing flaks from the public in order to restore peace at the earliest.

Ex-MLA S Subhaschandra, NPP executive members Russel Heisnam, Urikkhinbam Ramesh and Oinam Romen were also present at the press meet.

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