Guwahati: On Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma refuted any association with a Manipur-based Kuki militant organization. The alleged links between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and a Manipur-based Kuki militant outfit have sparked a major controversy, with the Congress party demanding his arrest under the National Security Act (NSA) alleging that he had sought assistance from a Kuki militant group during the 2017 Manipur election.
"Some baseless allegations have been levelled in recent social media posts on understanding with some UG (underground) leaders of Manipur. It is reiterated that there is no engagement with any such elements,” a statement issued by Sarma said.
The controversy began when Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur Goswami accused Sarma of seeking the assistance of a Kuki militant group during the 2017 Manipur election. Goswami claimed that a leader from the militant outfit had written a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, stating that their group had provided support to the BJP in the Manipur assembly polls. She submitted a memorandum to the state director general of police, urging a thorough investigation into the allegations.
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In response, Sarma strongly refuted the Congress party's claims, labelling them as false. He questioned the feasibility of such allegations, considering the significant number of votes received by the BJP in the state. Speaking at a public meeting in Diphu, Sarma declared, "Allegations regarding winning the 2017 elections in Manipur with the help of Kuki militants were false and baseless."
Furthermore, Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah called for Sarma's arrest under the NSA, citing recent social media posts that purportedly linked him to underground leaders in Manipur. However, Sarma's statement categorically denied any engagement with such elements, dismissing the allegations as baseless.
The specific incident being referred to occurred when a leader affiliated with the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF), a militant group, wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2019. The letter alleged that both Himanta Biswa Sarma and an RSS functionary had approached various Kuki groups to secure victory in the 2017 Manipur elections.
Meanwhile, amidst the ongoing controversy, Manipur has been grappling with ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities. The situation has further intensified due to the allegations made against Sarma and the subsequent uproar.
