Imphal: For the first time, all Meitei legislators including MPs from the state pledged to protect the integrity of Manipur in front of the public including Arambai Tenggol at the historic and sacred Kangla Fort on Wednesday.
The public pledge of the legislators comes after an open invitation was extended by Arambai Tenggol, following the continued killing of Meiteis including state security forces by suspected armed Kuki militants in the peripheral areas of the valley and the border town of Moreh.
It may be recalled that at least 26 Meiteis have been killed and over a dozen sustained serious injuries during the last 45 days alone in the state. Nearly 250 people have lost their lives; thousands have been displaced since the ethnic violence raged in the state that began in May last year.
The legislators also pledged to ask the Central government to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state with 1951 as the base year. They will also ask the Centre to withdraw Suspension of Operations, a tripartite agreement with the Union government, State government, and Kuki militants; to send back all the Kuki refugees to their country, Myanmar and Mizoram; fencing of India-Myanmar border; removal of Assam Rifles from Manipur and deployment of ‘neutral’ forces in the state and delisting of ‘All Kuki tribes’ from Scheduled Tribe list.
The legislators also announced that they would make these demands a reality within 15 days, or else they would join the mass movement of the public.
Earlier, hundreds of central and state security forces had taken up defensive positions around the Kangla Fort in the heart of the city as a large number of people gathered and approached the Kangla fort.
On Tuesday, for a second time, a special three-member team of the Home Ministry held talks with the representatives of Arambai Tenggol at the residence of Manipur King Leishemba Sanajaoba, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP. The team was headed by the adviser on northeast affairs to the Home Ministry, AK Mishra. The other two members of the Ministry are Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) Delhi joint director Mandeep Singh Tuli, and SIB joint director Imphal Rajesh Kumble.
Later, Korounganba, the leader of Arambai Tenggol addressed a public gathering at Khwairamband Bazar after the meeting with the legislators.
