theTripurapost News Images

Don't Deploy CRPF Instead of Assam Rifles: Manipur MLAs To PM Modi

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Imphal
  • Aug 03, 2024
  • 493

On Friday, 10 Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs of Manipur submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In this, an appeal has been made to withdraw the decision of the Central Government to replace the 9th and 22nd Battalions of Assam Rifles with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The memorandum argued that the presence of Assam Rifles is essential to maintain the current status quo in the 'buffer-zone'. It has been appealed that they can be replaced by other battalions of Assam Rifles.

The memorandum also alleged that the decision to withdraw the 9th Battalion and 22nd Battalion of Assam Rifles from Kangwai and Kangpokpi was taken after pressure from 'biased elements' in the state government.
 
The memorandum reads, 'We have come to know that there is a plan to withdraw the 9th and 22nd Battalion of AR from Kangwai and Kangpokpi after pressure from communally biased elements in the state government.' 

The memorandum said that the decision to replace the AR battalion with CRPF at this critical time is nothing but an attempt to intensify the Meitei majority caste campaign against the Kuki-Zo community. The 10 MLAs have requested the Prime Minister's intervention to withdraw or rectify the decision 'in the interest of justice'.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh told the assembly on Wednesday that so far 226 people have been killed, 39 are missing and 11,133 houses have been set on fire due to which 4,569 houses have been completely destroyed. He said that so far 11,892 cases related to the violence have been registered in different police stations.

The CM informed that 59,414 displaced people are in relief camps due to the violence that has been going on since May last year. The agriculture sector has been badly affected. Agricultural land of 5,554 farmers has been destroyed, putting their livelihood in danger. 39 people have been reported missing due to this chaos, which has led to massive disappointment and uncertainty among the people