I worship the CM… bigger blow to come: chief of Meitei outfit at centre of Manipur clashes

Speaking to The Indian Express, Singh said, “We knew something like this would happen one day, so our cadres have been stationed in these villages on the periphery of the (Meitei-dominated Imphal) Valley well before the start of the riots on May 3… since 2015-16.”

The Meitei Leepun, along with the Arambai Tenggol, is accused by the Kuki-Zomi groups and the security establishment of playing a leading role in the violence.

A former ABVP member, Singh admits his admiration for the Chief Minister but denies that the Meitei Leepun has any ties with the ruling BJP.

“Yes, I worship the Chief Minister. But there is a reason for this. It is because the language he uses resonates with our priorities – stopping poppy cultivation, the war on drugs, stopping illegal immigrants from Myanmar, preserving our forests and the implementation of the NRC in the state. All these are our goals as well,” he said.

He puts the outfit’s numbers at 14,000 including “senior citizens, women and children”. Of these, 1,000, he says, are “trained cadres”, and among them, some “trained in arms”.

“These 1,000 cadres have been trained to help Meitei people as first responders. If there is a flood or a fire, they are the first to reach and help the community.”

During the clashes last month, Singh said Meitei Leepun cadres took on the task of evacuating Meitei villagers and “repelling Kuki attacks” on villages nestled between areas dominated by the Kuki and Meitei.

“Many of our members are ex-servicemen. So, they know how to use weapons. If Meitei villages are under attack by militants, what do you expect us to do? … We have cadres stationed in all these villages.”

He rejected Kuki allegations that the Meitei Leepun cadres have been trained by Meitei insurgents operating from across the border. “Those groups are secessionists who want to separate from India. We believe in India. How can we operate together?” he said.