Meitei groups urge Rajnath to take Assam Rifles out of Manipur
COCOMI alleges Kuki groups embarrassed Indian government by approaching UN seeking resolution to Manipur crisis
An umbrella body of Imphal valley-based civil society groups on Friday urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to withdraw Assam Rifles from the state, alleging it was biased.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which represents Meiteis, said its representatives met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday in New Delhi.
In a memorandum given to him, the group alleged that Kuki groups had embarrassed the Indian government by approaching the United Nations seeking a resolution to the Manipur crisis.
They also raised with Rajnath Singh issues of narco-terrorism besides illegal immigrants and their identification.
But Manipur’s Kuki groups accuse the state police of bias.
Last month, 10 Kuki MLAs of the state appealed to prime minister Narendra Modi to not withdraw Assam Rifles from the state, maintaining that this could jeopardise the security of the tribals.
Around 175 people have been killed and 1,100 injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3.
(With agency inputs)