• Manipur's 23 MLAs sign resolution to protect territorial integrity of strife-torn state

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    Manipur's 23 MLAs sign resolution to protect territorial integrity of strife-torn state
    It's interesting to note that Chief Minister N Biren Singh was not among the signatories...

    Digital Desk: At least twenty-three MLAs in the BJP-led government in Manipur have signed a resolution, pledging to protect the territorial integrity of the violence-hit state.

    The MLAs also decided that they would quickly proceed to Delhi to convince the central leadership to find a resolution to the current problem as soon as possible.

    It's interesting to note that Chief Minister N Biren Singh was not among the signatories.

    The signatories declared that they did not agree with the Kuki Zo community's demand for a separate administration following a meeting with representatives of the recently created civil society organization Youth of Manipur on Monday night at the CM's secretariat.

    The resolution read, "It is unanimously resolved by all the undersigned members of the legislative assembly that we would stand for the territorial integrity of the state of Manipur and no form of separate administration will be agreed to by us.”




    Thousands of Youth of Manipur members marched to the chief minister's house on Monday night to visit him, but security forces allowed only some of them past the barricades.

    The YOM members asked that legal action be taken against the 10 Kuki MLAs who sought separate government for the community in Manipur during their meeting with the CM.

    They also urged that a special assembly session be called to discuss the issue and that the state conduct the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.

    Since the ethnic disputes began in Manipur on May 3, when a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organized in the hill regions to oppose the Meitei community's desire for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, more than 160 people have died and hundreds have been injured.

    The majority of Meiteis, who make up around 53% of Manipur's population, reside in the Imphal Valley. A little over 40% of the population are tribal people, mostly Nagas and Kukis, who live in the hill districts.