IMPHAL: The presence of Assam Rifles in strife-torn Manipur has become the bone of contention between the Meities and Kuki legislators as both have made conflicting demands to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over their deployment in the state.
Forty MLAs, majority of who are Meiteis, have asked the Prime Minister to remove the Central paramilitary force from the state, while 10 Kuki legislators have sought their presence saying their removal will jeoparadise security of the tribals in the state.
In a memorandum to the PM on August 9, the 40 legislators said Assam Rifles need to be transferred from their present location of deployment and “trustworthy Central forces” along with state security can replace them to “neutralise and sanitise” all threats to peace, security and stability.
These MLAs also demanded the withdrawal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement with Kuki militant groups, implementation of NRC in the state and strengthening of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).The memorandum also opposed the demand for a “separate administration” by various Kuki groups.
In another memorandum to the prime minister on August 10, the Kuki-Zo-Hmar MLAs asserted that the Assam Rifles did their work without prejudice or bias in Manipur.
“On behalf of all Tribal communities, we the elected tribal representatives (MLAs) humbly pray to you not to remove the Assam Rifles from our state as it would harm and jeopardise our safety and security,” the memorandum read. The memorandum also requested the Prime Minister to curtail the powers of the state forces and direct them “not to violate the buffer zones manned by the Assam Rifles”.
Earlier on August 5, the Manipur police registered an FIR accusing the Assam Rifles of blocking their vehicle after an altercation between the two forces on the Kwakta Gothol Road in Bishnupur district.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Congress Legislators Party (CLP) in Manipur and former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has demanded an emergency session of the Assembly to find a way to end the ethnic strife in the state.
“The proposed emergency session should discuss the crisis unfolding in the state and adopt a unanimous resolution to end the strife,” Ibobi told the press on Wednesday.
