A day after issuing an appeal for “social boycott” of the BJP government in Manipur due to its alleged failure to act against “Kuki narco-terrorists,” Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an influential organisation of the Meiteis in Imphal Valley, on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the implementation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) – with 1951 as the base year and asking the government to act against “foreign elements” involved in the ongoing violence.
In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, the COCOMI also opposed any change in territorial integrity and the system of administration in Manipur, as demanded by Kuki organisations.
“To identify the illegal immigrants, the NRC must be implemented in the state with 1951 as the base year. This is to deprive illegal immigrants from being citizens though they may continue to stay as guests, if necessary, without indulging in destructive politics by creating concocted history and bombarding the media and seeking support from the left liberals to achieve what is known as a Kuki-Zomi nation (Zalengam) comprising areas from three countries (sic),” said the memorandum.
The Meitei organisations claimed that Manipur witnessed “large-scale illegal immigration” from neighbouring Myanmar in districts like Churachandpur, Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong and Kangpokpi, upsetting the well-established demography.
“Not only this, they started settling in reserved and protected forests of the state. Besides, large scale poppy cultivation started which yielded tremendous profits mainly by the recent immigrants literally destroying the forest of the state which is now almost barren resulting in severe global warming effect in the state which is now facing a near drought situation for the third consecutive year (sic),” the memorandum continued.