Amidst growing criticism of the N Biren Singh-led BJP’s government’s handling of the situation in Manipur and the rising demands for a separate administration from the Kuki-Zumi communities in the state, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramnthanga on Sunday said he was supportive of the steps taken by the Manipur government and the Centre and that the “people of Mizoram are empathetic towards the Meitei(community)”.
Taking to Twitter, Zoramthanga said he spoke to Singh on Sunday afternoon and added that Singh asked for his support in resolving the issue with the “hope that henceforth there would be a peaceful co-existence”.
“I assured the Chief Minister of Manipur stating that the Government of Mizoram bemoans the ongoing violence and that it has taken certain steps and measures to abate it. I further stated that we are supportive of the steps taken by the Government of Manipur and the Central Government,” he wrote on Twitter.
Saying the Meiteis residing in Mizoram “have nothing to fear as long as they are in Mizoram” he wrote, “I also apprised the Chief Minister of Manipur that we, the people of Mizoram are empathetic towards the Meitei and that the government and the NGOs have taken measures for peace and security.”
The statements come amidst the demand for separate administration by Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi community including from 10 MLAs, eight of whom are from the BJP. The Mizoram unit of the BJP had last month also passed a resolution supporting the Kuki-Zomi demand for a separate administration. Mizoram shares ethnic bonds with the Kuki community as part of the larger ethnic “Zo” umbrella to whoch they trace their descent.
K Vanlalvena, the Mizo National Front leader and Rajya Sabha MP, tweeted last month: “The best and only solution to establish permanent peace in Manipur is to create new administrations for both Meitei Community and Tribal Community.”
More recently, MNF youth wing vice-president Zodinpuia reiterated the same. While MNF and the BJP are not in a power sharing arrangement in the state, MNF is part of the larger BJP-led NDA.
A large number of people took to the streets of Imphal to protest what they called the “silence” of the Prime Minister on Manipur in his Mann Ki Baat radio programme on Sunday.
In Imphal, the protest was held in the Singjamei area where people held placards and destroyed radios along the national highway-2 (India-Myanmar). “I oppose Mann Ki Baat”, “Mr PM Modi no more drama in Mann Ki Baat, “ the placards read. Protesters also condemned the “failure of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to knock on PM’s door”,