Manipur CM Biren Singh meets Governor again, asks for Unified Command leadership

CM and a few MLAs met Acharya on Saturday too hours after six people were killed.

Guwahati: Amid escalating violence, Manipur CM N. Biren Singh met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya for the second day on Sunday and submitted a memorandum for bringing the Unified Command under him, abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Kuki insurgent groups, beside others, to end the conflict.

Singh and some of the ruling MLAs also met the Governor on Saturday evening and briefed him about the situation hours after six people were killed in Jiribam district.

This triggered speculation about Singh's resignation, which, however, was denied by BJP leaders.

The Unified Command, which caters to all central forces as well the state police, normally is headed by CM. But the Centre in May last year rushed Kuldiep Singh, former DG of CRPF, to Manipur.

He has been serving as the Centre's security advisor and head of the Unified Command in order to control the Meitei-Kuki conflict.

The central forces subsequently created a "buffer zone" to separate the districts dominated by the Meiteis from the Kuki-dominated districts in order to prevent further violence. But police on September 1 said Kuki insurgents used a drone to attack a village in Meitei-dominated Imphal West district, in which two persons died and 10 others were injured. On Friday, police said Kuki insurgents carried out a rocket attack at Moirang in Bishnupur, another Meitei-dominated district, in which a 78-year-old man died. But the Kuki organisations rejected the allegations.

Demand of Meiteis, Kukis:

Singh's action came amid organisations representing the Meiteis stepping up their demand for bringing the Unified Command under the CM after nine Meiteis were killed since September 1.

They demand the Unified Command be brought under the CM to launch "full-scale" operations against the Kuki insurgents. The CM also demanded that the SoO agreement with 25 Kuki insurgent groups (since 2008), should also be abrogated for allegedly violating the ground rules. Fencing the Indo-Myanmar border, detection of illegal Kuki-Zo migrants from Myanmar through a NRC exercise, besides others, were among the demands made by CM and the MLAs in their memorandum submitted to the Governor, sources said.

At least 135 people have died and over 60,000 others have been displaced due to the Meitei-Kuki conflict since May last year. Sporadic incidents of violence have kept the state on the boil despite the presence of central security forces including the army.

Kuki Students' Organisation on Sunday issued a statement demanding action against Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, two armed radical Meitei groups, alleging their involvement in the attacks on the Kukis.

Kuki organisations have made it clear that a "separate administration" such as a Union Territory comprising the Kuki-Zo dominated areas is the only way to restore peace in Manipur.

Anti-drone system:

Manipur police on Saturday night said Assam Rifles and the CRPF have already deployed anti-drone systems along the peripheral areas following use of drones by Kuk insurgents. A statement said the state police would soon procure such anti-drone systems.