Manipur govt cautious ahead of Kuki-Zo rallies on Saturday, orders to have precautionary measures on ground issued
According to sources within the Kuki-Zo groups, there are talks to hold a protest rally even at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on the same day.
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The Kuki-Zo protest is also being organised to reiterate the demand for a separate administration and to press for other demands (PTI Photo)
Ahead of the protest rallies, slated to be organised by the various Kuki-Zo groups on Saturday, the Manipur government has instructed all the authorities to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid untoward incidents. The rallies are expected to be one of the biggest since widespread violence broke out across Manipur last year.
According to sources within the Kuki-Zo groups, there are talks to hold a protest rally even at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on the same day.
The state Home department has issued an order instructing authorities to have a robust response mechanism on ground to avoid any untoward incident. It has also instructed to maintain law and order in Manipur.
“Any such act of issuing public notice for organising a mass rally and urging to shut down institutions which can pose grave impact on the prevailing law and order situation and which are likely to pose serious repercussions in the context of the ongoing law and order crisis in the State, is viewed very seriously by the State Government with utmost sensitivity,” the order cited.
“Subsequently, it is also appealed to the General public including Public Functionaries, to keep all business establishments, Government offices and private institutions open and function normally,” the order added.
All heads of the central and state government institutions have also been instructed to issue necessary instructions to function normally during the rally.
The order further warned that anybody found involved or provoking to create law and order issues shall be prosecuted without exception under relevant provisions to the law.
The call to organise protest rallies in Kuki-Zo areas was issued by the Zomi Students’ Federation (ZSF) and the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO). The rally is being organised to protest a purported viral audio tape of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh that has caused widespread outrage among the Kuki-Zo community.
The Kuki-Zo protest is also being organised to reiterate the demand for a separate administration and to press for other demands. The student bodies have also urged all business establishments, government offices and private institutions to remain shut during the protest.
Meanwhile, Naga groups have opposed the rally within the Naga areas in the interest of maintaining “peace and tranquillity”.
The Naga bodies, in separate statements, opined that the rally has the potential to breach the peaceful co-existence and security of the area. Urging the Kuki-Zo bodies to withdraw their rally, it cautioned that the Nagas will not be held responsible for any untoward incidents resulting from non-compliance.
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