Manipur state Cong chief, two BJP MLAs 'beaten up' by radical Meitei group cadres

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Three Manipur MLAs – including the state Congress President and two of the ruling BJP -- were reportedly "beaten up" and "compelled" to take an oath by members of radical Meitei group, Arambai Tenggol, at Kangla Fort in Imphal. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, said: "The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the brutal physical assault on Manipur PCC President K. Meghachandra, in a meeting of all-party MLAs/MPs/ Ministers, under full security protection of state and central forces, at Kangla in Imphal yesterday. The PM, however, continues with his eloquent silence on the enormous tragedy that has overtaken Manipur." On Wednesday, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Rajya Sabha member Leishemba Sanajaoba, and all 37 Meitei community MLAs, including ministers and opposition legislators, signed a resolution including six charters of demands put forth by Arambai Tenngol. Five Congress MLAs, including former Chief Minister and veteran party leader Okram Ibobi Singh and state Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh, also attended the meeting with top leaders of the Arambai Tenngol, presided over by the group supremo Korounganba Khuman. While Chief Minister N. Biren Singh did not physically attend the meeting, he signed the resolution paper, as per sources. The demands include abrogation of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) signed between the Central and state governments and 23 Kuki militant outfits in 2008, implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC), replacement of Assam Rifles with other Central forces, removal of illegal Kuki immigrants from the Scheduled Tribes list, relocating all Myanmarese refugees to Mizoram, and border fencing along the India-Myanmar border.Unprecedented security measures were taken with the deployment of the huge contingent of central para-military and state security forces in and around the Kangla Fort, which served as the royal seat of the Manipur kingdom till 1891. The meeting was convened by the Arambai Tenggol. "If the Centre does not resolve our demands, the ministers, legislators along with the other organisations would launch a massive movement to protect Manipur’s territorial integrity and the lives and properties of the people," Khuman.had told a gathering after the meeting. --IANS sc/vd

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