DIMAPUR, MAY 10 (MExN): The Rising People’s Party (RPP) on Wednesday said the blame for the recent clash between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki tribals lies squarely with the Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Referring to an Outlook article dated July 9, 2021, the RPP recalled the remark made by the Chief Minister, “All lands belong to the state government.” With this exclusive statement, the CM showed that he’s simply the Chief Minister of Imphal Valley; the RPP said. It alleged that the CM dehumanized the Kukis as poppy cultivators and drug warlords. Thirdly, he branded the Kukis wholesale as illegal immigrants, the RPP alleged.
The RPP also maintained that the poppy argument given by Biren Singh is “fallacious given that poppy is also cultivated in Naga inhabited districts.” “The Nagas too are under the ATSUM banner, now spearheading against the inclusion of Meiteis in the ST list, and the Naga majority districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel, and Tamenlong participated in the ATSUM rally held on May 3. And whereas only the Kukis were targeted.”
Also alleging that the riot was an “anti-Kuki pogrom,” the RPP claimed that after the riots started on May 3; the CM did nothing, at least for the next 24 hours, when mobs in Imphal valley started targeting Kuki homes and Churches. Rather, according to reports, the Manipur police commandoes aided the mobs by doing nothing when the dwellings of the Kuki tribals were being burnt down, it stated.
The RPP also pointed out that on May 4, the DGP P. Doungel of Kuki ethnicity was relinquished of all authority and the overall operational command of the police force was handed over to ADGP Ashutosh Sinha, also reporting to the Security Advisor, GoM, Kuldiep Singh. No reasons were given for scapegoating Doungel.
While putting forth these contentions, the RPP said the CM should resign as his credibility has been tarnished beyond repair and no amount of peace-building can restore the sense of normalcy under his watch.
It also demanded that President’s Rule should be imposed in the state so that all those responsible for the atrocities can be booked and prosecuted.
Lastly, the RPP condemned the Christian Kuki Vs Hindu Meitei narrative of the riots and the propaganda fed by “Hindi-speaking narrators that that the Christians are slaughtering Hindus in the state.” This it stated was nothing further from the truth.
