Manipur Cong demands clarification on BJP MLA's Union territory proposal

PTI,  Imphal, Aug 1, 2023  :  Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Tuesday sought a clarification from the state government and the BJP state unit in connection with the remarks made by BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip advocating division of the state into three Union Territories.

MPCC vice-president Hareshwor Goswami told reporters that the party strongly condemned Haokip’s remark, adding that Kuki outfits KNO and UPF recently held talks with the BJP government wherein the demand of creating Union territories was floated.

“The government and the BJP should clarify on Haokip’s separation agenda,” Goswami said.

He said Haokip is one of the 10 MLAs who had demanded a separate administration as he was the signatory of the press statement issued in this connection by these legislators on June 12.

Haokip, who shot into the limelight after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, had said the way forward to finding a solution to the state’s racial conflict is by creating three separate Union territories.

Haokip in a recent interview to 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.

“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,” Haokip told PTI.

Recently, Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Meitei groups led by COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, an umbrella body of several Imphal-based organizations) had also strongly voiced their opposition to any moves to “break up” the state, and analysts say the Central government, which is holding talks with Kuki groups – Kuki National Organisation and United Peoples Front, is also against such a formulation.

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.