Kuki body asks 10 MLAs to boycott Manipur Assembly session

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki community, has directed all 10 Kuki-Zo legislators in Manipur to stay away from the state Assembly session beginning September 2, saying their participation could give an impression that normalcy has returned despite the absence of a political settlement.

In a statement, KIM said the community’s demand for a separate political administration remained unresolved and that the resumption of legislative proceedings should not be viewed as a sign that the political crisis in the state had been settled.

The organisation urged the Kuki-Zo legislators to demonstrate solidarity with the community by following the directive and maintaining their collective political position.

“At this critical juncture, the Kuki-Zo MLAs must stand firmly with their people. Political representation cannot be divorced from the political will of the people,” KIM said.

The Kuki body also warned that legislators who attend the Assembly session could be perceived as moving away from the community’s collective political position.

KIM opposed any attempt to use the Assembly proceedings to create an impression that the situation in Manipur had returned to normal. It maintained that there could be no return to “business as usual” without a political settlement addressing the community’s demand.

The directive comes ahead of the Assembly session scheduled to begin on September 2. The Kuki-Zo community has 10 legislators in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, including Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and six other BJP MLAs.