Guwahati: Accusing that the present BJP-led state government have failed to exist since May 3 last year, at least ten MlAs from Manipur, representing the Kuki Zo community, on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated their demand for a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with Legislature.
The Kuki legislators, which also include seven MLAs from the ruling BJP, submitted the memorandum after taking part in a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The ten Kuki MLAs said that the "Manipur government has even failed to ensure the supply of life-saving drugs and other essential supplies to our people as it dances to the diktats of the radicalized valley-based organisations."
"Our people do not disrupt the movement of goods trucks and vehicles carrying essential items in Kangpokpi district on the advice of the central government, but the Meiteis with full knowledge of the state government still do not allow such supplies to our people in the hill districts," they claimed.
Referring to the attack on a Hmar lady on November 8 in Jiribam, the MLAs alleged that the attack by the Meitei militia still continues to receive patronage from the state government.
"Apart from the prolonged and chronic discrimination towards the Hill District in matters of Development by the successive Meitei majoritarian State Government, it is sad to see the discrimination being worsened in this time of the conflict for the last 19 months," they said.
The Government of Manipur had failed to recommend and deliberately left out the affected Hill Districts for funding of Central Financial assistance under PM-Devine NE for the project “Providing Super Speciality and Assured Speciality Health Care in the remote and Hill Districts (Infrastructure and Equipment) in Manipur amounting to Rs. 10466.11 Lakhs, they said adding that the "communalised state government had deprived our people of all development funds".
They further suggested that the Centre may consider routing funds for development projects for critical sectors like health care, education, roads, water supply, etc. directly to District Authorities based on the recommendations of Elected Representatives from such districts. The MLAs further sought an audience with the Prime Minister so that he may be able to hear Kuki Zo people’s voice and better appreciate the situation from their perspective.
