Imphal : The 25 militant groups belonging to the Kuki community in Manipur are in 2005 are in Suspension of Operation (SoO) from 22nd August 2008 till date but this moment the comment from the Chief Minister that certain community is involved in the drug trade and cultivation of poppy and the problem started from there.

Thereafter disagreement with the community started with the Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh and then the demolition of structures, settlements, and eviction from the reserved forest area without any proper procedure, these are the factors that started the conflict in Manipur stated Kh. Devabrata Singh,  Working President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee at Imphal while speaking to KRC TIMES at Congress Bhawan. 

Devabrata blamed it on the laxity of officials who had not controlled the settlements in the forest area. Suddenly if someone is evicted without following due process of law eviction was performed, without proper notice and procedures and now the militants groups’ involvement is also challenging and difficult to control.

He also stated that incursion from the Myanmar side by the armed militants also created havoc. Now that the third party is involved it is not a issue between the state and the community. He echoed that even Home Minister Amit Shah when he visited Imphal he was declining to accept the reality but now it has become the reality.

Devabrata while commenting on illegal immigration happening from Myanmar stated that this was happening for the last thirty years It has to be regularly checked. Even the border security forces were not performing the job in hilly terrain. This reality was never realised and the border area encroachment and illegal migrants coming and settling, and naming a village becoming citizens of India.

He further said that even some top officers of the Government are alleged to be originated from Myanmar so the anguish from the indigenous local people here will definitely be there. He echoed that as a citizen of India, we must be careful about who are the real citizens and who are not. They might belong to our own community but I am a citizen of India and they are citizens of Myanmar, that difference has to be there.

Ethnicity is not the validity or qualification to become a citizen of India stated strongly by the Working President of Manipur Pradesh Congress, Devabrata Singh. The people of Manipur have been demanding NRC stop the illegal migration, so frustration has been shown by the people in this incident. Government has to define how the problem can be solved, and educate people, the government has the responsibility.

Devabrata also asked that the peace committee be redefined and a timeline has to be given. He also said that the peace committee is not a solution and there is no purpose without any definition of the committee. We want the government to redefine the key area of how to bring about peace in the state by the government.

On BJP MLAs belonging to the Kuki community demanding a separate state, the congress leader showered his dismay and said ‘How they operate and out of them two are cabinet Minister and they are still not being sacked’ On UKLF Chairman’s S.S. Haokip naming the Union Home Minister and others in an arrangement to help BJP winning elections, Devabrata stated that the UKLF chairman should be investigated as he is pulling the Union Home Minister of India. 
On Congress demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, Devabrata said that if the present CM cannot bring peace we want to give this democratically elected government a chance, and if a leadership change can bring new magic, who knows he echoed. The Congress leader categorically said that they are not in favour of President Rule. 

On the visit of Rahul Gandhi tomorrow in Manipur, Devabrata said that his visit may bring some kind of hope to the people who are living in conflict areas and bring about trust in democracy.