FOCS-led CSOs visit Leitanpokpi
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 16 2025: A team of Federation of Civil Society Organisations, Manipur (FOCS), Universal Mothers Organisation and Manipur Women Federation visited Leitanpokpi village in Imphal East district where Kukis obstructed Meetei farmers from tilling paddy fields on Sunday.

The team led by FOCS president BM Yaima Shah interacted with activists of Leitanpokpi Meira Paibi Development Association at the local Meira Paibi Shanglen.

Yaima Shah told mediapersons that it was not the first time that Kukis obstructed farming activities in the valley as similar incidents had happened in Bishnupur district earlier.

It was very unfortunate that another such incidents occurred at Leitanpokpi, he said and urged the Governor, chief secretary and other officials to take up adequate security measures to ensure farmers engage in agricultural activities freely.

According to BM Yaima Shah, FOCS had repeatedly asked the government to take up adequate security measures to ensure farming activities without any obstruction and even a memorandum in this regard submitted to the Governor earlier.

He warned that a bigger confrontation might erupt if farmers are disallowed to cultivate in their own paddy fields.

Meanwhile, the Khallei Sillup Manipur (KHASSIL) expressed strong concern over the inability of central forces in pushing back non-state actors who openly obstructed farmers of Pukhao-Leitanpokpi from tilling their own paddy fields on Sunday.

According to a statement of KHASSIL, it was not the first time that non-state actors obstructed farming activities of the valley people as many similar incidents had happened in the past even to the extent of loss of lives of some farmers.

It asked administrators of the present government if they are to run away from the issue by terming the Leitanpokpi incident as another unfortunate one or by merely saying that adequate security deployment has been made.

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