Tens of thousands say no to separate admn

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 29: Tens of thousands of people took out a mammoth and historic rally against Chin-Kuki narco-terrorism at Imphal today.
The rally which started from THAU Ground, Thangmeiband at around 10  am was organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCO-MI) and it passed through Khoyathong, Nagamapal, Wahengbam Leikai, Keishampat, Keishamthong, Yaiskul and Thumbuthong before winding up at Hapta Kangjeibung, Palace Compound.
Apart from tens of thousands of Meiteis, the rally was also participated by Meitei Pangals, Kabuis, Telis and members of Bazar Community Board. Many senior and aged citizens also took part in the rally.
Thousands of placards and festoons which read as “Outsiders cannot claim ownership rights”, “No separate administration in Manipur”, “Let’s uproot all refugees and immigrants”, “Let’s eliminate narco-terrorism”, “Implement NRC in Manipur immediately”, “Integrity of Manipur is non-negotiable”, “Long live Manipur,” “Withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur”, etc were used by the marchers.
The sea of people also shouted similar slogans throughout the course of the rally.    
The marchers carried the tri-colour as well as the seven-coloured Manipuri flag.
A large number of people who could not take part in the rally from its starting  point joined the rally at different points of its course. Many others marched to Hapta Kangjeibung directly from different directions.
A large number of Manipur Police, CRPF and RAF personnel kept a close vigil throughout the course of the rally so as to avert any untoward incident.
The mammoth rally adopted five resolutions, the foremost being elimination of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists who intruded into Manipur (India) from foreign countries.
No separate State or administration should be created within the State of Manipur, said the second resolution.
The third resolution demanded implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur  in letter and spirit.
A special session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly must be convened by August 5, 2023 and adopt a concrete resolution to protect Manipur, and in case no special Assembly session is convened by August 5,  people may launch mass movements in the manner they deem fit, read the fourth resolution.
Sending a detailed account of the ongoing violence along with the first three resolutions of today’s rally to Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the fifth resolution.
Speaking at the public convention held at Hapta Kangjeibung, COCOMI coordinator Jeetendra Ningomba said that the Meiteis should fight the war with a clear understanding of who their enemies are.
He underscored the urgent need for unification and unity among the Meiteis.
“We will fight this war until we are victorious. Creation of a separate State or separate administration out of Manipur will never be tolerated”, asserted the COCOMI coordinator.
COCOMI consultative committee member RK Nimai highlighted the need to inform the Government of India about the people’s resolve to fight all challenges to the integrity of Manipur.
The State Government and all the legislators must take serious note of the demand raised by Kuki militant groups to the Government of India to remove the clause that they (Kuki militants) would not do anything which challenges the integrity of Manipur from the SoO agreement, Nimai said.
COCOMI’s Wareppam Second said that the ongoing violent crisis was created by Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists who intruded into Manipur from across the border.
Illegal Kuki immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar can never claim ownership over any part of Manipur, he said.
He then appealed to all the people to fight the scourges of narco-terrorism collectively.
COCOMI consultative committee member Yumnamcha Dilipkumar said that there would be neither peace nor normalcy until and unless all the narco-terrorists are uprooted from the soil of Manipur.
It is not right for the Chief Minister to remain mute when Manipur is literally burning.
“Our State and our land must be protected by us”, he asserted.
Saying that Assam Rifles would not protect Manipur,  Dilipkumar asked where the State forces have been deployed.
It would be wrong on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to see the whole Meitei community as immoral or depraved after seeing a single viral video clip of two women being paraded naked, he said.
There have been many incidents of Kuki narco-terrorists raping and molesting Meitei women in Churachandpur, he alleged.  
The huge gathering also observed silence for two minutes in honour of all the Meiteis who were killed during the ongoing violence.
COCOMI member and UCM president Joychandra Konthoujam, COCOMI women leader Y Leirik Leima and RK Tharaksana  were seated on the dais during the public convention.