Kukis staging a protest in front of Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday night.
Credit: X/@hatjalhai
Guwahati: Angry over five Kuki MLAs joining the Yumnam Khemchand Singh-led government in Manipur, Kuki organisations, one after another, have been issuing warnings while a forum of at least seven enforced a "total shutdown" in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district on Thursday (February 5).
A group of Kukis staged a protest in front of Manipur Bhawan, New Delhi on Wednesday night, from where Nemcha Kipgen, a Kuki woman MLA, virtually took oath as the Deputy chief minister.
Many in Kuki-dominated areas took to the streets while an organisation of "village volunteers," the armed Kukis, announced "cash reward" for killing Kigen and two other Hmar-Zomi MLAs, who attended the swearing-in at Meitei-dominated Imphal.
"The shutdown is called in protest against the participation of certain Kuki-Zo MLAs in the installation of the new Manipur government, and against the BJP government at Centre’s prioritisation of state government formation while the long-standing constitutional and political demands, Separate Administration/Union Territory with Legislature of the Kuki people—arising from widespread violence, displacement, and eviction remain unaddressed, affecting their rights to equality, life, and dignity (Articles 14 and 21, Constitution of India)," said a statement issued by Joint Forum of Seven (JF7), a forum of Kuki organisations.
The "shutdown" began at 6am on Thursday and will continue till 6pm.
On Thursday, influential forums of Kuki-Zo organisations, Kuki Zo Council and Kuki Inpi Manipur, issued statements condemning the decision by the Kuki MLAs and issued warning about possible repercussion.
The Kuki Zo Council has reiterated that any MLA from the community who chooses to disregard the collective decision of not participating in the formation of the Manipur government will be doing so in their individual capacity. The council will not be held accountable for the consequences arising from such unilateral decisions," KZC said in a statement on Thursday.
"Kuki Zo people have been forcibly and physically separated by the Meiteis, and therefore have legitimately demanded a separate administration from the Meitei government in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature. Under these circumstances, it is neither logical not acceptable for the Kuki-Zo people to join the government with those from whom we have been violently separated," the KZC, which has been engaged in talks with the government, said.
The council said the decision against joining the government was taken at a meeting on December 30 and another in Guwahati on January 13, in which all Kuki-Zo MLAs were present.The stand and warning by the Kuki Zo organisations, according to BJP sources, may put waters into the party's efforts for installing an "inclusive government" for restoration of peace in Manipur.