Imphal: The Meitei organisation, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), has asserted that President’s rule has failed to bring significant change to the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said, “We don’t favour the President’s rule. When it was imposed, people assumed that the Centre would swiftly end the conflict. But there have been a series of incidents where the Kuki bodies and armed groups of the community have openly defied the authorities.”
He added, “Their objection to the reopening of all highways in the state and open declaration of not surrendering firearms despite the governor’s appeal shows that the President’s rule is not bringing the solution that people require and is not handling the emergency situation properly.”
According to Athouba, the response to the crisis was the same under the former government and the present President’s rule.
He said people had thought that with the imposition of the President’s rule, all hostile areas would be sanitised and peace would be restored within two-three months, and with the improvement of the situation the administration would be handed over to the state.
He also asked the legislators to either act as “responsible leaders” or resign to pave the way for fresh elections.
“The MLAs have failed to choose a leader to form a government. If the legislators are not going to form a government, they should resign so that fresh elections are held and a new government formed to end the conflict,” he added.
“President’s rule also hasn’t been able to enforce the Centre’s order for unrestricted movement on all roads. The Kuki groups openly challenged the Union home minister’s directive, and no action was taken against them,” the convenor said.
Given the apparent failure of President’s rule, COCOMI urges MLAs to work towards establishing a popular government, Athouba stated.
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Notably, the President’s rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 and the Assembly was put under suspended animation after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from the post on February 9.
Over 260 people have lost their lives since ethnic violence broke out between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei and neighbouring hills-based Kuki communities in May 2023.
