Daijiworld Media Network - Imphal
Imphal, Apr 30: Twenty-one Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have collectively appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reinstate a popularly elected government in the state, which is currently under President's Rule.
On Tuesday, a delegation of these MLAs submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Union Home Minister's office in New Delhi, signed by all 21 legislators.
On Wednesday, an MLA confirmed that the group comprises primarily BJP members, along with representatives from the National People’s Party (NPP), Naga People’s Front (NPF), and two independent MLAs.
Manipur has been under President's Rule since February 13, following the resignation of N. Biren Singh as Chief Minister. The 60-member Manipur Assembly, currently under suspended animation, has a tenure extending until 2027.
The letter submitted to the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister expressed that while the people of Manipur initially welcomed President's Rule with hope for peace and normalcy, tangible progress has been lacking.
The letter stated: “There is a strong apprehension among the common people that the violence may recur again in the state. Many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have come out openly against the imposition of the President's Rule. They have been demanding the installation of a popular government in the state. These organisations have started organising public rallies, street corner meetings, instigating the general public, blaming the ruling MLAs for not staking claim to form a popular government and fixing responsibility for the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur.”
The MLAs emphasized that reinstating a popular government is the only viable path to restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur. “We assure you that we will work with full dedication and devotion to bring peace and normalcy in our state after the installation of a popular government,” the letter affirmed.
This appeal marks the first significant call to the Centre to reinstate the state government since the imposition of President's Rule on February 13.
In an effort to address the ongoing ethnic conflict, the first tripartite meeting between officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and representatives from the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities took place in New Delhi on April 5.
The meeting saw participation from six representatives of the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS), representing the Meitei community. An eight-member delegation from the Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities, led by Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet, also attended. MHA advisor for the northeast region, A.K. Mishra, Joint Director, MHA, Rajesh Kamble, Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, and Additional Director General of Manipur Police Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, were among the officials present.
The ethnic violence, which erupted on May 3, 2023, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ protesting the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, has resulted in over 250 deaths, 1,500 injuries, and the displacement of over 70,000 people. The conflict has also led to the destruction or damage of thousands of homes, government and non-government properties, and religious sites.