Amid the intensifying ethnic tension in the northeastern state of Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday said that his government is against drug cartels operating in the state and not the Kuki community.
Moreover, he also asked his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga not to interfere in the internal matter of another state after the later took part in a huge rally at Aizawl on Tuesday to express solidarity with the Zo-Kuki people.
Manipur is a religious one, the chief minister asserted that they do not have any knowledge about the ground reality.
Organisations representing Kukis have been accusing the chief minister of working against the interest of their community.
What did the Manipur CM say?
While addressing the Kargil Vijay Diwas function on Wednesday, CM Biren Singh strongly condemned the resolution adopted by the European Parliament which, on July 13, adopted a resolution asking the Indian authorities to take all measures to stop the violence in Manipur and protect religious minorities.
He said the European Parliament was unaware of the ground reality.
"Tension began when the state government started to act against drug cartels... The Manipur government is not against the Kuki community who are residing in the state.”
The CM made it very clear that the government has been observing all incidents happening in the state and warned those who are “trying to destroy the integrity of Manipur”.
The government would not succumb to any threat, the chief minister asserted.
He said the fight is between the government and the elements “who want to disturb peaceful co-existence in the state".
Singh described as “barbaric” the hurling of abuses towards him in the rally at Aizawl.
“I ask the Mizoram chief minister not to interfere in the internal matter of another state,” he said.
Singh reiterated that the state government is committed to drive out illegal migrants, and rejected the demand of separate administration.
Ethnic clashes in Manipur
On May 3, ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.
The violence erupted following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' which was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.
