Manipur Police has lodged an FIR against the general secretary of Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) Muan Tombing with charges of sedition and other various sections of Indian Penal Court.
The complaint was lodged at Churachandpur Police station against Muan under conspiracy for waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the government of India. The FIR was lodged under section 121-A/124-A/153/120-B IPC.
Meanwhile, ITLF Media Cell on its Facebook page clarified that the Kuki-Zo community is demanding for a local governing body for Kukis not ‘self-rule’.
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“Elaborating on the logic behind such a proposal, he referred to the fact that the 10 Kuki MLAs, who are part of the Biren Singh-led Manipur government, could not travel to the capital city Imphal when a special Assembly session was convened on 29 August 2023 as ‘it was too risky for them’,” the post mentioned.
“Our MLAs have not been able to carry out any business or work for the people since the violence broke out on May 3. We do realise that carving out a separate administration will take time. So, we have come up with a plan for local governance because the state government will not think about our welfare as their resentment is evident against us,” said Ginza Vualzong.
“The demand for a separate administration in Manipur to govern the tribal districts is not a recent one. It is our ultimate goal.”
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Law Minister Th Basanta Kumar also told media on Thursday that the Manipur government strongly condemned the recent announcement to declare a ‘self-government’ in Kuki-Zo dominated area, stating that the ITLF’s move is aimed at vitiating and disturbing the law and order situation in Manipur.
The minister also expressed that appropriate legal action is being initiated against the ITLF and persons concerned.
Earlier, Chief Minister N Biren Singh told the media that the two cabinet ministers who are among the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs have been continuing their works through ‘e-filing’.
