IMPHAL: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) released a video that supposedly showed how Kuki villages and houses were “attacked/burnt” by alleged “Meitei miscreants” at Sugnu in Manipur.
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Also read: Demand for probe into alleged role of Manipur CM in violence in state grows louder
There has been a growing demand for probe into the alleged role of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the violence, especially from the tribal section of the society in the state.
Manipur Tribals’ Forum, Delhi (MTFD) has demanded an investigation into the alleged role of chief minister Biren Singh in the large-scale violence in the state.
The MTFD also demanded probe into alleged role of Manipur BJP MP Sanajaoba in fuelling the clashes in the state.
The tribal body blamed the large-scale violence in Manipur on “extremist Meitei groups” – Meetei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol.
Notably, according to the MTFD, the Meetei Leepun allegedly has links to Manipur BJP MP Sanajaoba.
On the other hand, the tribal body from Manipur also alleged that Arambai Tenggol ‘supports’ the Biren Singh-led BJP government in the state.
Also read: Manipur: IPS officer Rajiv Singh named new DGP
It may be mentioned here that allegations have also surfaced that journalists, who reported on violence perpetrated by “radical Meitei groups” – Meetei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol – received threat calls warning them of dire consequences.
On the other hand, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), on Wednesday (May 31), claimed that villages belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribes of Manipur are being attacked by “radical groups among Meitei community” despite the appeal for peace by union home minister Amit Shah.
“Even as union home minister Amit Shah and other dignitaries from the Centre met with the tribal leaders at Lamka, these radical groups were attacking and burning more than two Kuki-Zo villages (Nongdam & Maphou villages),” the ITLF stated in a statement.
“This clearly shows the level of audacity portrayed by these dominant radical groups among Meitei community, who have the support of the government of Manipur,” the tribal body said.
It added that these “radical Meitei groups, supported by the Manipur government” aims “to exterminate Kuki-Zo tribal villages in an attempted second wave of ethnic cleansing”.
Earlier, the organisation had accused the Manipur government and the state’s armed forces of “carrying out ethnic cleansing continuously since 3rd May 2023 against the tribal people in different tribal villages wherein tribal villages were burnt down to ashes and many innocent tribals murdered”.