Manipur: Veteran politician Okram Joy accuses govt. of providing support to the Kuki-Zo demand

Imphal: Forty-eight hours after receiving a life-threatening call from an unidentified individual to keep mum, Manipur’s firebrand, and veteran politician Okram Joy has charged the state government with indirect support to the demand of the Kuki-Zo tribals.

Talking to the newsmen at Imphal on Thursday, the former cabinet minister Okram Joy expressed his unhappiness over the fact that the BJP-led government in the state headed by the chief minister N Biren Singh remained a mute spectator over the fresh demand of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF).

Joy, who is also a leader of the ten opposition parties in the state asked why the chief minister remained silent over the demand of the ITLF which on Wednesday (it) dared the center government that the Kuki-Zo community would be setting up their “self-governed separate administration” if the government fails to hear their voices they are raising since the alleged ethnic cleansing began on May 3, 2023.

To a question, Joy said that the 10 political parties in Manipur have advised the BJP government to take action against the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs and urged it to relieve them from their legislative role as members of the legislative assembly and cabinet ministers.

He regretted that to this effect, the government has failed to translate their demand into reality to date.

Ten political parties are AAP, AIFB, AITC, CPI, CPI (M), INC, JDU, NCP, RSP, and SS (UBT).

Following the life threat, Joy lodged a complaint to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police on November 14.

In his complaint letter, the veteran politician stated, “Unfortunately during these couple of days since November 2, 2023 onwards I had been threatened by some unidentified persons in a video call via Facebook giving the signal with the hands to keep silent and not to speak on my Facebook account.”