Imphal, Aug 31 (IANS) Nine Naga legislators of the Manipur Assembly, including Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, have appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take immediate action against Kuki-Zo militant leaders.
The Naga MLAs also demanded the arrest of those whom they alleged were involved in the killing and dismemberment of six Naga men, and demanded the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups.
In a letter addressed to HM Shah, the legislators said that the situation in Manipur had reached a “critical and volatile stage” and warned that any failure to take “unbiased, decisive and bold action” could push the state into an uncontrollable situation.
The appeal came days after four Naga men were killed in an ambush on the IT Road in Kangpokpi district on August 27.
The legislators linked the latest killings to what they described as a series of attacks on Naga civilians and villages, alleging that justice had not been delivered in earlier cases.
The legislators urged the Union Home Minister to order the immediate arrest of Kuki-Zo leaders whom they alleged had publicly claimed responsibility for the killing and dismemberment of the six Naga men. They specifically sought the arrest of Thangboi Kipgen of the Kuki National Front (KNF-P) outfit, alleging that cadres of the group, led by a self-styled “Gen Tiger” Kipgen, were responsible for the killings.
The legislators also demanded action against Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, alleging that her office was “colluding” with the Kuki militant group led by her husband, Thangboi Kipgen. They further called for the immediate abrogation of the SoO agreement with all Kuki militant groups, citing what they described as repeated violations of the agreement and acts of terror against civilians.
The legislators warned that unless the measures sought by them were initiated, they would be unable to “defend or adequately respond” to questions from the public over their continued support to the Manipur government. The Naga MLAs said that the appeal was being made in the larger interest of the people of Manipur and “out of absolute necessity”, while expressing confidence in HM Shah’s leadership to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
Meanwhile, the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Nagas in Manipur, has asked tribal and community leaders to ensure that villagers do not extend any cooperation to government officials deployed for undertaking the Census exercise, which is scheduled to commence from September 1, 2026.
In a directive, the UNC asked the Tribal Presidents, Presidents of the Chandel Naga Peoples’ Organisation (CNPO) and Naga Peoples’ Organisation (NPO), and the Convenor of the Joint Tribal Council (JTC) to ensure strict compliance with its call. The UNC said that no cooperation should be extended by villagers to government officials detailed for undertaking the Census exercise during the scheduled period.
“Clear instructions may be issued to the villages/public and followed up with strict monitoring for compliance of this directive all through the scheduled period,” the UNC stated.
The development comes amid growing political and ethnic tensions in Manipur, with the latest killings of Naga civilians further intensifying concerns over law and order and inter-community relations in the violence-hit state.
The appeal by the nine Naga legislators and the UNC’s directive regarding the Census exercise are likely to add a fresh dimension to the already volatile situation in Manipur, where the government and various tribal organisations have been engaged in efforts to restore peace and normalcy.
Meanwhile, in a significant development, the Union Government on Monday deferred the Census 2027 operations in Manipur. A senior official in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that the decision to defer the Census 2027 operations came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi on Monday to assess the prevailing situation in Manipur.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Home Affairs, was attended by the Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, along with other senior officials.
–IANS
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