Ever since the 10 MLAs belonging to the Kuki-Chin group (now Kuki-Zo) raised the demand for a separate administration for the Kukis in the aftermath of the ethnic strife beginning May 3, the entire focus of the general public both in the hills and the valley had shifted to it while MLAs belonging to every group seems stuck in the quagmire of political confusion.
Manipur is not new to such demands. While the Nagas had voiced a sort of alternative arrangement in anticipation of a final solution between the GoI and NSCN-IM, the dream of a Kukiland was always there in the backdrop.
The political assertion of the Kukis came in the form of a political party on October 24, 1946 under the name Kuki National Assembly (KNA). It contested the state assembly elections in Manipur and a few of its candidates won in 1974, 1980, 1984 and 1990. TN Haokip and Thangkhanlal were the last representatives of KNA who won in 1990 and after that it slowly died away.
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However, many Kuki leaders chose to contest from both national and state parties. State assembly elections 2022 began a new chapter in Kuki politics with the emergence of Kuki Peoples’ Alliance (KPA) and its two MLAs.
The Kukis had representation in the N Biren Singh-led government with two ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Letpao Haokip. Both were privy to the policies and campaigns of the state government like War on Drugs, eviction of encroachers from reserved and protected forest land, and of course illegal migrants from across the border.
In fact, Minister Letpao Haokip was the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee formed to monitor undocumented immigrants and collect biometric data.
A report by the sub-committee revealed that 2,187 illegal immigrants from Myanmar are staying in 41 locations in Manipur. Kuki CSOs had earlier objected to this state government exercise which was in fact mandated by the Union Home Ministry.
As the Kuki ministers remained silent, the challenge against the policies of the present government came from within the BJP itself with the first-time MLA from Saikot Paolienlal Haokip charging like a bull in a China shop. So far, he has been very vocal and his latest proposal is creation of three Union Territories by carving out the state of Manipur.
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The three Union Territory formula is not exactly the original idea of MLA Paolienlal. The idea has been doing the rounds in the corridors of New Delhi and at negotiation tables for quite some time so as to provoke reactions. It is simply that, Meitei MLAs had been blind to such ideas being floated as they continue to live in a dream world of political fantasy. Yet, they find time to devise ways to either upset the (power) applecart or cling to the powers that be.
Except for a few, the Meitei MLAs have been more or less silent since the beginning of the ethnic clashes. If a Kuki MLA belonging to the BJP could speak out against the BJP government in both the state and Centre, why are the valley MLAs reluctant to speak out? Are they so afraid of antagonising the central BJP leadership lest they be singled out for punitive action?
As public anger turned against them, they rushed to New Delhi that too in a group in a bid to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders.
As they failed to get an appointment with the Prime Minister, the Meitei MLAs came back to Imphal meekly without even lodging a protest. On the other hand, some MLAs are still there conspiring to create mischief in New Delhi praying for a change in leadership while unmindful of the ever-aggressive steps taken up one after another by the Kuki MLAs. Such a waste of leadership!
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