NDA partner KPA withdraws support from Biren Singh govt
Mpost bureau
Imphal: NDA partner Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) on Sunday announced withdrawal of support from the N Biren Singh government in Manipur.
In a letter to Governor Anusuiya Uikey, KPA president Tongmang Haokip informed about the party's decision to snap ties with the BJP-led government in Manipur, where ethnic rioting since the last three months has claimed more than 160 lives.
The development, however, will have no impact on the stability of the government, as the BJP has 37 members in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.
"After careful consideration of the current conflagration, the continued support for the incumbent government of Manipur led by Chief Minister N Biren SIngh is no longer fructuous.
"Accordingly, the support of the KPA to the Government of Manipur is hereby withdrawn and can be considered null and void," Haokip said in the letter.
The KPA has two MLAs in the assembly - Kimneo Haokip Hangshing from Saikul and Chinlunthang from Singhat.
The NPP has seven MLAs and the NPF has five. The Congress, too, has five legislators.
KPA general secretary W Lalam Hangshing said: "We have sent the letter to the Governor by e-mail. We have two MLAs, and had given outside support to the government.
In view of the present situation, the association is infructuous.”
Meanwhile, Fifteen houses were set on fire in Manipur’s Imphal West district where fresh violence broke out, officials said on Sunday. The incident happened on Saturday evening at Langol Games village as a mob went on a rampage, they said.
Security personnel fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control, they added.
Manipur Police has suspended five police personnel including the station in-charge of the area where the incident of two women being stripped and paraded by a mob had taken place on May 4.
The officials said immediately after the video of the incident surfaced on July 19, Manipur police decided to suspend the station in-charge of Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district and four other police personnel.
The action was taken promptly and has not been reversed despite daily protests by some sections of people from the majority community for their reinstatement, they said.
The state police have also ordered a time-bound inquiry under an Inspector General of Police to probe events leading to the looting of an armoury on August 3 in Bishnupur, they said.
Around 300 people have been arrested so far in various cases. There have been many zero FIRs registered during the ethnic clashes and every claim has to be cross-checked, they said.
The officials said that a time-bound inquiry has been instituted in connection with the recent looting of arms and around 19,000 bullets from the headquarters of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) located at Naranseina in Bishnupur district.
On Saturday, a 45-year-old man was shot during the violence. He was admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) with bullet wounds on his left thigh and is stated to be out of danger at present.
The situation improved on Sunday morning, but restrictions remained in place, they said.
Fresh violence was also reported from Imphal East district’s Checkon area where a large commercial establishment was torched on Saturday, officials said.
Three nearby houses were also set on fire, they said, adding that firefighters doused the blaze.
Also, a gunfight broke out between security forces and militants in Kangpokpi district on Saturday evening.
The incident happened at A Mungchamkom in New Keithelmanbi police station area, officials said.
A man was nabbed and an SLR with 50 rounds was seized from him, they said.
The incidents of violence were reported amid the 24-hour general strike called by the coordinating committee of 27 Assembly constituencies, which paralysed normal life in the Imphal valley on Saturday.
