Manipur's 10 tribal MLAs plan joint protest in Delhi

CHURACHANDPUR: Ten tribal legislators from Manipur, including seven from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), plan to hold a joint protest in Delhi in the first week of December, demanding the removal of chief minister N Biren Singh and a separate administration for their community, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

- Prawesh Lama

The planned protest will mark the first time the 10 MLAs, who have raised these demands separately in the past, will come together at a common platform.

According to people aware of the matter, the decision to hold a joint protest in the national capital was taken during a meeting between three of the 10 MLAs, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and representatives from 25 Kuki groups that have signed the Suspension of Operation agreement held in Churachandpur.

"Individually, we have spoken or written letters about the need to remove the Manipur CM and other demands. The happenings in recent weeks have forced us to come out and speak together to the people and the press. We have decided to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar. Some of the MLAs are already in Delhi. Others will travel to Aizawl and then take a flight to Delhi because we can't go to Imphal," one of the MLAs who attended the meeting

said on condition of anonymity.