Guwahati, Aug 10: In a significant development, 10 kuki MLAs have petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to remove Assam Rifles (AR) from Manipur.
Recently, the Manipur unit of BJP had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to replace Assam Rifles “by any other paramilitary forces permanently” from the state in the interest of the public and also sought his intervention to bring an amicable solution to the ongoing ethnic unrest at the earliest.
BJP state unit in a memorandum to Prime minister had stated: “The role of Assam Rifles in regard to the ethnic unrest and in maintaining peace and tranquillity in the state has been under considerable criticism and public outrage.”
The 10 tribal MLAs, seven of them belonging to the ruling BJP, stated, “The credibility of the Assam Rifles (AR), the oldest security forces protecting our Motherland “India” internally and externally since its establishment, pre- and post-independence, is known to everyone. Till date, the Assam Rifles are jointly working hard together with other Central Forces like the BSF, ITBP, RAF, CRPF etc., to contain the situations in Manipur. We, the ten (10) Kuki-Zo-Hmar Tribal MLAs from Manipur humbly wish to draw your kind attention that since the outbreak of ethnic strife in Manipur in May 2023, the unabated violence has led to deep mistrust between the Kuki-Zo-Hmar Tribals and Meitei communities which has been reflected in splitting of local state administration and law enforcing agencies too.”
They added, “While a myriad of Central Forces has been rushed in the State including the Indian Army, BSF, CRPF, RAF & ITBP etc., but the Tribals have unwavering faith on the Central Forces, particularly the Assam Rifles as they stood the test of time and did their work without prejudice, bias, fear or compulsion. The Assam Rifles has the majority of their troops from the North Eastern States of India and they have been guarding Manipur for very long, hence, they are aware of the local dynamics. Though they have dealt the Tribal miscreants also with a hard hand, the Tribals have seen them putting their lives at risk to stand as a wall to create Buffer Zones in areas which are inhabited by both warring communities. What sets them apart from other forces is their single-minded resolve to safeguard humanity, compassionate yet firm-handling of highly tense situations and unbiased conduct.”
Earlier, a group of 31 MLAs of the state proposed to the Union Home Minister to replace the 9th Assam Rifles, the 22nd Assam Rifles, and the 37th Assam Rifles with other central security forces that are more inclined towards promoting the unity of the state.
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