Manipur CM Urges Peace Amid Kuki-Zo Protests Over Government Formation

Several Kuki-Zo organisations have been staging protests in Churachandpur and other hill districts against the participation and involvement of MLAs from their community in the formation of the state government.

The Chief Minister appealed after chairing a Cabinet meeting at the Civil Secretariat here to review the prevailing situation, particularly in Churachandpur district.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Singh said: "Chaired a review meeting with Hon'ble Ministers and senior officials at my Secretariat to take stock of the prevailing situation and to take necessary decisions for containing the unrest. I earnestly appeal to everyone to remain calm and act in accordance with the Constitution."

Normal life in Churachandpur district was severely affected on Friday as several tribal organisations observed a 24-hour total shutdown in protest against the involvement of Kuki-Zo MLAs in the government formation process, officials said.

Protest rallies were also organised in Tengnoupal and other mountainous districts of the state.

A police official in Imphal said that agitators, some holding sticks, stopped vehicles at several locations in the Churachandpur district headquarters town.

Government and private offices, shops, markets, banks, and educational institutions remained closed, while vehicular movement was largely suspended.

The shutdown was called by the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), Joint Forum of Seven (JF7), and a few other Kuki-Zo tribal organisations. The situation remained tense, prompting the deployment of a large contingent of additional security forces across Churachandpur and other hill districts.

The KSO and KWOHR also organised a mass protest rally on Friday afternoon opposing the participation of Kuki-Zo MLAs in the government formation process.

On Thursday, clashes erupted between a mob and security forces at the Tuibong Bazaar and Forest Gate areas, forcing security personnel to resort to baton charges and fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. At least five people were injured in the clashes. Additional security forces were deployed in the affected areas to prevent further escalation, while intermittent clashes continued till around 3 a.m. on Friday.

Senior security officials rushed to the area to oversee efforts to restore normalcy, the official added. Tensions have been simmering in Churachandpur district since Wednesday evening (February 4) after Nemcha Kipgen, who hails from Kangpokpi district, virtually took oath as Deputy Chief Minister from Manipur Bhavan in New Delhi. Kipgen is the lone woman minister in the Yumnam Khemchand Singh-led Cabinet, which assumed office on Wednesday.

So far, three of the ten Kuki-Zo MLAs -- Nemcha Kipgen, L.M. Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate -- have been involved in the government formation process.

Of the ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, seven belong to the BJP, while the remaining three are affiliated with local Kuki-Zo organisations. Kipgen, Khaute and Sanate also virtually attended the seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

- IANS