Imphal, Sep 15: The representatives of a Meitei group met defence minister Rajnath Singh to press for the demand for the removal of Assam Rifles from ethnic violence-hit Manipur.

In a statement released late Thursday, a collective of dominant Meitei groups said the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) met Singh at his residence and demanded another security force replace the Assam Rifles.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the collective, has also sought Assam Rifles’s removal saying the force was biased.

Also, groups of Meitei women have held a series of protests against the force.

So far, COCOMI representatives have met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at least three times since the ethnic violence started in May.

According to the Manipur Police, at least 175 people are dead and around 50,000 are displaced.

COCOMI spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba said that the DMCC submitted a memorandum citing threats from Kuki militant groups and the alleged bias of the Assam Rifles. On the other hand, the Kuki groups have blamed Meitei militant groups for the violence.

“DMCC reiterated that Meitei insurgency groups have been already banned by [Union] MHA [ministry of home affairs] before the year 2000, so necessary legal actions have been taken against them…no action has been taken under the pretext of Suspension of Operations and Kukis militants are firing from hills and farmers are being killed,” Athouba said.

Also read: Manipur Violence: Over 175 lives lost in ethnic violence, say police

WATCH:

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/nemediahub