Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an election rally in Manipur's Churachandpur. (Photo: Twitter/@AmitShah)Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday said the BJP will end the problem of the Kuki insurgency in the state if voted to power for the second time.
Shah was addressing an election rally in Churachandpur, a Kuki-dominated district situated on the southwestern corner of the state.
He said, “The BJP is committed to resolve the Kuki insurgency issue and Kuki youths will no longer hold arms in their hands.”
Referring to problems faced by the Bodos in neighbouring Assam and how the BJP resolved the issues, Shah said, “No Bodo youths have arms in their hands. Instead, they have laptops and keys to industries in their hands. Similarly, in Karbi Anglong, around 9,500 militants laid down their weapons to join the mainstream.”
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Shah said the BJP had promised to bring relief from bandhs and blockades if given the opportunity to form the government in Manipur. “Subsequently, the BJP-led government under Biren Singh translated the promise into action. Today Manipur is moving forward in the race of peace and development. As a former footballer, Biren Singh can score as well as save goals,” Shah said.
Slamming the Congress, the Union Home Minister said Congress gave “instability, insurgency and inequality” but with BJP there is “innovation, infrastructure and irrigation” in Manipur.
“BJP has plans to transform Manipur into a sport hub of the country. With this vision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi established the first-ever sports university in the state at an investment of over Rs 800 crore,” said Shah, adding, “Every district in Manipur will have a sports centre under Khelo India.”
He claimed that during the Covid crisis, the Prime Minister had specifically asked to give free vaccines and tests to the Hill districts on a priority basis. “No other Prime Minister had shown such serious concern for the Northeast like Narendra Modi,” he further said.
Shah further said, “The Biren Singh government brought governance to the doorstep of the hill people through ‘Go to Hills’. Moreover, for the first time in the history of Manipur, cabinet meetings are being held in the Hill districts.”
Of the total 28.5 lakh population of Manipur, Kukis comprise about 30 per cent and Churachandpur district has the highest concentration of Kukis. The district has six assembly constituencies — Tipaimukh, Thanlon, Henglep, Singhat, Saikot and Churachandpur.
Of the nearly 30 Kuki insurgency groups, 17 are under the umbrella group Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and eight under the United People’s Front (UPF). Both the groups are under tripartite Suspension of Operation (SoO) pacts with the governments of India and Manipur since August 22, 2008.
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