Naga MLAs in Manipur promise to support govt in restoring peace

Imphal, March 13 (IANS) Six Naga community MLAs of different political parties on Thursday assured Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla of cooperation at every step to ensure peace and also exuded confidence that the state would definitely return to peace and normalcy under his leadership, officials said.

An official said that six MLAs, during their meeting with the Governor, apprised Bhalla on various issues faced by the common people.

“They assured that they would extend their cooperation at every step to ensure peace and also exuded confidence that the state would definitely return to peace and normalcy under the leadership of the Governor," the Raj Bhavan official said.

The six Naga community MLAs include Awangbow Newmai, former Water Resources Minister in ex-Chief Minister N. Biren Singh led government and Naga People Front's (NPF) Manipur unit President, Khashim Vashum, Losii Dikho, Leishiyo Keishing (all NPF), Janghemlung Panmei, who belongs to National People’s Party (NPP), and J. Kumo Sha (independent).

Of the 16 districts in Manipur, the Naga community-inhabited districts are Tamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Noney and Senapati, which are along the Nagaland and Myanmar borders.

In the over 22-month-long ethnic violence between the Valley-based non-tribal Meitei community and the hills-based tribal Kuki-Zo community, the Naga-dominated areas remained more or less peaceful.

The NPF, which has five MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, has been supporting the BJP government since the party came to power for the first time in 2017 defeating the Congress, which was in power for three consecutive terms (2002-2017). Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley comprising five to six districts. Tribals - Nagas and Kuki-Zo-Hmar and others constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts, which occupy around 90 per cent of the state’s total geographical areas.

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