BJP MLA slams Manipur Kuki MLAs for meeting Mizoram CM

Influential Manipur BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh on Saturday slammed 10 state legislators for meeting Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter) Singh, son-in-law of chief minister N. Biren Singh, said since the the 10 MLAs are demanding a separate state, they should resign from the assembly.

“If they are not serious in bringing peace here and only stuck with the demand, then I really urge them all to resign from the Manipur Legislative Assembly, as it is morally not correct to remain in public office of the state, taking salary from the state and also talk about division and separation from the state.”

Singh added that it is better to have legislators in these constituencies from other tribal communities who are willing to work unitedly for the progress of the state.

“I thus request my fellow legislators to come back to the state and work unitedly for a peaceful and prosperous Manipur or resign from their respective posts honourably and continue with their demand and contest from some other state,” he said.

“Did they allow this conflict to take place? Are all the 10 signatories (MLAs) doing it willingly or being forced to do so by pressure groups and insurgent groups? Who is responsible for the loss of lives in the state resulting out of the rally due to the High Court Order? Couldn’t the organisation just appeal to the Supreme Court, thus no rally, no violence, no conflict? On the pretext of the High Court Order, was the solidarity rally on May 3 pre-planned to show it as a sacrifice to seek this new separate state demand?” the BJP MLA asked.

He said the people of the state want to live peacefully, in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic state of 34-35 indigenous tribes.

Ten tribal legislators from the hill districts of Manipur, including seven BJP MLAs, along with various tribal organisations have been demanding a separate administration (equivalent to a separate state) for tribal communities since 12 May, nine days after devastating ethnic violence broke out in the north-eastern state on 3 May.

On 6 September, the 10 MLAs and leaders of tribal organisations from Manipur held their meeting with Zoramthanga in Aizawl.

After meeting with the MLAs and tribal leaders, Zoramthanga, who is also president of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), said people of his state were ready to help their "distressed fellow brothers and sisters of Manipur", and suggested that any future course of action should be taken in consultation with various organisations, leaders, and the public.

He said that he was "deeply hurt" by the sufferings of people owing to the violence in Manipur.

Zoramthanga, his Cabinet colleagues and MNF MLAs had participated in the 'solidarity march' organised by the NGOs Coordination Committee in Mizoram on 25 July to express solidarity with Kuki-Zo tribals affected in the violence in Manipur.