Government of India treats Manipur as sub-class citizens: COCOMI

Expressing anguish over the Government of India’s neglect of the ongoing unrest in Manipur while taking prompt action in the recent Pahalgam attack, the convenor of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), Khuraijam Athouba, claimed that the people of Manipur are being treated as sub-class citizens by the central government.

He made this statement while responding to media queries on the Government of India's handling of the Manipur crisis during a press conference held today.

Drawing a comparison between the government's handling of the two-year-long unrest in Manipur and the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, Athouba said the immediate intervention in the Pahalgam case highlights the government’s biased and unequal treatment of its citizens from different parts of the country.

He further stated that when it comes to Kashmir and similar regions, the government treats terrorist groups as immediate enemies and responds with aggressive action. In contrast, when dealing with terrorist groups that have infiltrated from Myanmar into the Northeastern states, the Government of India appears to treat them in a friendly and complacent manner. He said this kind of partial treatment by central leaders toward the people of the Northeast has long been a serious concern.

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“Even if the younger generation of the state considers themselves Indian, the Government of India’s repeated mishandling of the situation proves that we are treated as second-class citizens in our own country,” he said.

Referring to the current unrest in Manipur, Athouba noted that the state has been grappling with violence and instability for nearly two years. Yet, the Government of India has failed to provide any amicable solution. He also pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has yet to visit the state or meet with the displaced persons, who have become refugees in their own land.

“The kind of partial treatment shown by the Government of India toward the people of Manipur will only deepen the sense of alienation rather than promote integration with the rest of the country,” he asserted.

Athouba also criticized the imposition of President’s Rule (PR) in Manipur, calling it a failed and hopeless option. He said that the people had expected PR to bring about rational governance and restore law and order in both the hills and the valley. However, those expectations remain unmet, and the people have witnessed no significant change.