IMPHAL, February 22: The Kuki State Demand Committee has said in a press release that it will not allow the Bangladesh China India Myanmar Car Rally to pass through Kuki inhabited areas.
It said, “Further to our statement declaring indefinite public blockade in Kuki inhabited areas of present day Manipur from mid-night of February 24, the committee would like to emphasize that the BANGLADESH-CHINA-INDIA-MYNMMAR (BCIM) Car Rally which is scheduled to pass Silchar (Assam) into Kuki territories will not be allowed to transit through Kuki territories and to the exit point Manipur, India ie Moreh”.
“Denying the rights of the Kukis and their political aspiration for Kuki Statehood and drawing economic mileage through its territories is robbing the rights and resources of the owners (Kukis) in a broad-day light which is hard to compromise”, it said.
“It is a sad commentary on the integrity of the government of India that no tangible initiatives for political settlement of Kuki rights is forthcoming from them despite such promise in writing, even now as the budget session is about to begin”.
It has further said that it will not allow a single car of the BCIM rally to pass through Kuki inhabited areas and any attempt to use force will be met with equal measure of resistance and any untoward incident will be at the sole risk of participants of the rally, the Government of India shall hold responsibility for it fair and square.
It said “Start political dialogue immediately with KSDC including Kuki Militants for Kuki Political settlement in the form of Kuki State-the only panacea that will redress the grievances of Kukis in Manipur in all spheres”.
The KSDC demands the settlement of Kuki rights under the rights enshrined in the Cconstitution of India, and those denying the Kukis their rightful aspirations should hold themselves in contempt of the Constitution, it said.