Manipur violence: Amid atrocities, why Kuki leaders and BJP MLAs are demanding three separate UTs?
As the state of Manipur remains surrounded by ethnic clashes and violence, communities raise their demands for three separate union territories.
Manipur has been in a constant state of unrest with violent incidents erupting from different parts of the state, attracting international attention. The violence in Manipur has also sparked a political war between the opposition and the state government, with the demands of separate Union Territories rising.
In the midst of the unrest in Manipur, the Kuki and Meitei leaders have started raising the calls of a separate union territory, asking the authorities to split the state of Manipur into three separate Union Territories to end the ethnic violence in the state.
Kuki leader and BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip, who shot into the limelight after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, said the way forward to finding a solution to the state's racial conflict is by creating three separate Union territories.
Haokip in an interview with PTI advocated giving "political and administrative recognition to the ethnic separation" in the state, upping the ante from earlier vaguely explained demands for a "separate administration" for Kuki areas made by fellow Kuki community leaders.
Earlier, 10 Kuki MLAs had banded together to call for the splitting of Manipur into two UTs, allotting one part to their tribe and the other part to the Meitei community, in an effort to resolve the ethnic clashes between the two.
Reason for calls to split Manipur
The Kuki community has asked the Union Government to allot a separate administration in areas where their tribe resides, hoping for a resolution to ethnic violence. The Kukis have suggested this resolution to end the racial tone of the clashes, and to put an end to the bloodshed.
Critics point out that the formulation would implicitly create separate Naga, Kuki, and Meitei territories which would be difficult given the fact that there are mixed populations in many villages and districts.
Haokip further told PTI, “The way forward, as I see it, is for the Union government to give political and administrative recognition to the ethnic separation, where the state of Manipur is reorganised as three Union territories.”
However, the Union government has not answered any calls to split the state of Manipur and has said that they are continually working to resolve the violence in the state.
(With PTI inputs)