The Kuki-Zo community in Manipur took to the streets on Saturday, organising three rallies in different parts of the state to demand a separate administration and protest against viral audio clips allegedly featuring Chief Minister N Biren Singh making objectionable remarks.
The rallies were held in Leishang in Churachandpur district, Keithelmanbi in Kangpokpi, and the border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal district.
In Churachandpur, the march started from the Anglo Kuki War Gate at Leishang and concluded at Peace Ground in Tuibong, covering approximately 6 km.
Shops and schools in the district were shut down during the protest organised by Kuki-Zo students.
Similarly, a rally in Kangpokpi district saw hundreds of demonstrators march from Keithelmanbi Military Colony to Thomas Ground, covering an 8 km route. "We are marching to demand a union territory for the Kuki-Zo people," said G Kipgen, a protester at the Kangpokpi rally.
Another protester condemned the audio clips, claiming they were used to incite tension.
The Manipur government has dismissed the audio clips as "doctored," suggesting they were circulated on social media to undermine peace efforts in the conflict-ridden state.
The state police are investigating the source and authenticity of the clips, which allegedly mimic the Chief Minister's voice.
A similar protest march took place in Moreh, a town on the India-Myanmar border, with participants demanding a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo community.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh firmly rejected the demand for a separate Kuki administration, portraying himself as a guardian of Manipur’s integrity.
This was his first clear-cut dismissal of the Kuki-Zo demand for a separate administration.
"The identity of the state will not be compromised," Singh asserted.
The demand for a separate administrative entity comes amidst heightened tensions between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei ethnic groups, which have been locked in violent clashes since May 2023, resulting in 226 deaths, according to official records.
The ethnic violence has deepened divisions, with the Kuki-Zo community accusing Singh, a Meitei, of bias towards his own community.
At a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, Kuki-Zo representatives called for the creation of a union territory with a legislature, akin to Puducherry, stating that it would be the only viable solution to the ongoing conflict.
Singh, however, has suggested a special development package for the hill regions where the Kuki-Zo population is concentrated, instead of a separate administration.
As the ethnic strife in Manipur continues, the demands for a separate administration reflect the growing dissatisfaction within the Kuki-Zo community over what they perceive as systemic marginalisation and lack of political representation.
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