Don't remove Assam Rifles from Manipur, tribals have faith: Kuki MLAs to PM Modi

The plea came hours after 40 BJP and NPF MLAs wrote to the PM seeking several steps including replacement of three units of Assam Rifles with 'trustworthy' force

At least 10 Kuki MLAs in Manipur on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a request for not removing the Assam Rifles from the conflict-hit state amid growing demand by the Meiteis for withdrawal of the Central paramilitary force. 

In a memorandum signed and submitted to the PM, the 10 MLAs (including seven BJP MLAs) said removal of Assam Rifles would "harm and jeopardise our safety and security" as they are guarding the tribals against the attacks by the "Meitei miscreants."

The Kuki MLAs made the request hours after 40 MLAs belonging to BJP and Naga People's Front (NPF) submitted a memorandum to the PM seeking complete disarmament and replacement of three units of Assam Rifles (9, 22 and 37) from their present locations with "trustworthy" Central forces along with state security.

The Kuki MLAs also requested the PM to initiate steps for "controlling" the state forces, curtail their powers and give direction to not violate the buffer zones manned by the central paramilitary forces for restoration of peace in the state. They also sought the PM's personal intervention for quick resolution of the ethnic strife.

The request by the Kuki MLAs came two days after Manipur police registered a case against one of the units of Assam Rifles (9 Assam Rifles) accusing it of blocking the state police and helping the Kuki militants flee in the troubled Bishnupur district on August 3.

Police said Kuki militants were hiding in the Kwakta area after killing three Meitei men but Assam Rifles blocked them by putting a Casper vehicle on the road. The Army, on the other hand, said the same was done by the Assam Rifles personnel in order to enforce guidelines of the buffer zone and to prevent further escalation of the violence between the Meiteis and the Kukis.

Assam Rifles is a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs but performs under Army's operational control.

Ire against Assam Rifles

Meitei organisations including the Meira Paibis, the Meitei women vigilante groups, have intensified demands for withdrawal of the Assam Rifles accusing them of being partisan towards the Kukis and helping the "narco terrorists" belonging to the Kuki-Zomi communities.

The 10 Kuki MLAs, however, defended the actions of Assam Rifles saying the tribals have unwavering faith in the central forces, particularly the Assam Rifles as they "stood the test of time and did their work without prejudice, bias, fear or compulsion."

"The Assam Rifles has the majority of their troops from the Northeastern states and they have been guarding Manipur for long, hence, they are aware of the dynamics. Though, they have dealt with the tribal miscreants also with hard hands, but we, the tribals, have seen them putting their lives at risk to stand as a wall to create buffer zones (dividing the Kuki dominated hills and Meitei-dominated Valley) in areas which are inhabited by both warring communities. For these reasons, the Assam Rifles is being falsely blamed by Meiteis who are unable to execute their nefarious designs of targeting the tribals," they said.