05-05-2025
BJP Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra meets Meitei and Kuki-Zo representatives in Manipur
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra met former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, BJP legislators in the valley and hills and Kuki-Zo and Zomi civil society organisations in the northeastern State on Monday (May 5, 2025).
Mr. Patra's visit comes days after 21 Manipur Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to form a 'popular government' in the State which was placed under President's rule on February 13.
Speaking to The Hindu, Vumsuan Naulak, President of the Zomi Council, who met Mr. Patra in Churachandpur, said that the latter conveyed that as long as thousands of illicit arms remain in the hands of civilians not under any authority's control, 'they do not feel any urgency in installing a popular ministry.'
As many as 6,020 weapons and lakhs of ammunition were looted from police armouries after ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people erupted in the State on May 3, 2023. So far, around 3,000 police weapons have been recovered, one-third of the recoveries were made after President's Rule kicked in.
'I am not sure if this visit was to explore if government could be formed or not. I told him that the dialogue process with compatible organisations in the valley such as the Meitei Leepun, Arambai Tenggol and the COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) should begin. We do not want to speak to any youth club, we want to speak to people who are in the real between civil societies who are actually in the field,' Mr. Naulak said. Arambai Tenggol, an armed Meitei group has gained prominence in the aftermath of the violence.
On April 4, the Kuki-Zo and Meitei civil society groups met for the first time at a meeting organised by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Delhi. The meeting was attended by 15 representatives from the Kuki-Zo Council, Zomi Council, Federation of Civil Societies (FOCS) and All Manipur United Clubs Org (AMUCO) and was chaired by A.K Mishra, Adviser (North East), MHA.
Mr. Naulak said that he also urged Mr. Patra to resume the talks between the Home Ministry and the Kuki-Zomi insurgent groups who are in a Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with the Centre since 2008.
Mr. Patra met former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh at the latter's residence in Imphal where some BJP MLAs were also present. He also met Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh at his residence in Bamon Leikai and interacted with other MLAs at a city hotel.
'We discussed ways to restore peace in the hills and the valley. We also talked about the role of security forces. He (Patra) listened to us patiently and assured that our concerns will be notified to the authorities,' party MLA Kh. Ibomcha told reporters.
BJP MLA Sapam Kunjakeshwor added: 'The discussions were mostly focused on law and order, and restoration of peace and normalcy. There was, however, no discussion on the recent letter by 21 MLAs to PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah about formation of government in Manipur.'
Earlier in the day, Mr. Patra met two Kuki Zo MLAs – Vungzagin Valte, who had survived a mob attack on May 4, 2023, and L.M. Khaute in Churachandpur district.
(With PTI inputs)
