Manipur Congress accuses state of paying Rs 6.27 crore to Hmar militant group amid conflict

Manipur Congress claimed state government over payment of money to the Kuki-Zo militant outfit and signatory of Suspension of Operations (SoO) Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) in July 2024 when the ongoing was at its peak.

Addressing media during a press conference held at Congress Bhavan, the president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, Keisham Meghachandra Singh said that though state government has been constantly blaming to Congress party of the ongoing conflict. Yet after rigorous investigation, it has come to know that state government has allegedly disbursed Rs 6.27 crore to Hmar People’s Convention (HPC) Democratic last year July despite the fact that state government announced the withdrawal from SoO. 

“It is very unfortunate to learn that state government paying huge money to HPC by cheque to one individual account when there was so much of killings and arsons. This shows that there is a great contradiction between words and action of state government”, he claimed while questioning the reason of releasing huge amounts of money to a particular community when the state is in crisis.

Also Read: Manipur CM urges Naga leaders to take greater role in resolving state's crisis

He recalled that a resolution was adopted in the state cabinet for the withdrawal of SoO. Above this, on February 29 last year, the Manipur Legislative Assembly unanimously took a resolution to urge the government of India to abrogate the SoO pact with all the Kuki-Zo groups/militants. 

Meghachandra also informed that an investigation is still going for disbursal of Rs 27.38 crore to SoO groups of Kuki-Zo in 2022. The money was released under the umbrella scheme of modernization of the police force but disbursed against the guidelines or norms. 

“Observing how the BJP government is dealing with the Kuki-Zo militants’ groups who are in SoO, it is very clear that there is a handiwork of this government of present crisis,” he alleged while expressing their firm stand of early peace and restoration of normalcy in Manipur.