Conrad Sangma (L), N Biren Singh.
Credit: PTI Photos
Guwahati: A Kuki man was found dead in Manipur's Jiribam district on Sunday, on a day National People's Party (NPP) withdrew its support from the BJP-led government stating that N Biren Singh government "completely failed" to resolve the crisis that have roiled the state since May last year.
In a letter to BJP president J P Nadda, the NPP chief and Meghalaya CM Conrad K. Sangma said that the Manipur government failed to restore normalcy in the state. "In the last few days, we have seen the situation further deteriorate where many more innocent lives have been lost and people in the state are going through immense suffering," it said.
Threat to the government ?
The NPP's withdrawal of support, however, does not pose an immediate threat to the Biren Singh government as BJP alone has 32 MLAs in the House of 60. Ten MLAs, representing the Kuki-Zo community, including seven belonging to BJP, have maintained distance since the Meitei-Kuki conflict started but have not yet resigned. The 10 MLAs have been camping in the Kuki-dominated districts since the conflict started.
Total seats: 60
BJP: 32
NPP: 07
JD (U): 06
Congress: 05
NPF: 05
Kuki People's Alliance: 02
Independent: 03
Six MLAs of Janta Dal (United) and five belonging to Naga People's Front (NPF) are also part of the BJP-led government.
The NPP withdrew the support hours after the Opposition Congress stated that its five MLAs are ready to resign if that brings normalcy to Manipur. Former CM and veteran Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh urged the CM to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a meeting with all the MLAs from Manipur to resolve the crisis.
Kuki man found dead:
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a platform of the Kuki-Zo organisations, said that body of a 27-year-old man, Haojoel Doungel was found on Sunday morning under a culvert at Agalpur in Jiribam, the epicentre of violence since November 7. The ITLF alleged that members of Arambai Tenggol, a Meite armed radical group, killed him and dumped the body with his hands tied. The organisation stated that five churches, one school, one petrol pump and 14 houses belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were also burnt down by the Meitei miscreants in Jiribam on Saturday night. At least 20 people have died in the fresh violence since November 7.
Valley still tense:
The situation in the Meitei-dominated Valley remained calm but tense on Sunday and the curfew and the curb on internet services remained in force. The security forces carried out a flag march in Imphal and some other places. Manipur police on Sunday said at least 23 persons have been arrested for arson and attacks on the houses of Ministers and MLAs. Sources said houses of at least 13 MLAs belonging to both BJP and Congress were either burnt down or vandalised by the Meitei protesters. The Valley erupted in protest on Saturday after bodies of a Meitei woman and two children were recovered on Friday. On Sunday, the bodies of a woman and a two-year-old child were found floating in a river in Jiribam district while a search was underway for another missing woman. The six had gone missing on November 11 when a gunfight with CRPF and police led to killing of 10 "armed militants" belonging to the Hmar community. Two elderly persons belonging to the Meitei community were also found. But the Kuki organisations said those killed were not militants but "village volunteers" deployed to guard their villages against attack by the Meiteis. Hmars are ethnically linked to the Kukis.
On Sunday, CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh visited Jiribam and took stock of the situation.