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IMPHAL — People belonging to the Kuki-Zo community on Saturday took out three rallies in parts of Manipur to press their demand for a separate administration and protested against the viral audio clips allegedly of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in which certain objectionable comments were made.
They organised the rallies at Leishang in Churachandpur district, Keithelmanbi in Kangpokpi and Moreh in Tengnoupal.
In Churachandpur, the protest rally started from the Anglo Kuki war gate at Leishang and culminated at Peace ground in Tuiboung, covering a distance of 6 km.
Also read: Manipur government issues preventive measures amid Kuki-Zo student bodies calling public rally
All markets and schools in the district remained closed in view of the rally organised by students belonging to the Kuki-Zo community.
Commissioner (Home) N Ashok Kumar urged people to keep business establishments and private institutions open in view of the rallies.
Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally which commenced from Keithelmanbi Military colony in Kangpokpi and they marched to Thomas ground in the district headquarters covering a distance of 8 km.
G Kipgen, a protestor in the Kangpokpi rally, said, "The demonstration is being held to press our demand for a union territory for the Kuki Zo people."
"We also protest against the viral audio clips in which objectionable comments were made," another protester said.
The Manipur government had said that the audio clips, falsely claiming to be the voice of the chief minister, were released on social media in an attempt to derail peace initiatives in the ethnic violence-affected state.
The government had claimed that the audio tapes were "doctored" and the state police were conducting an investigation into the matter.
Another protest march was also held in the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh, demanding a separate administration.
In an interview with PTI, the chief minister emphatically rejected the demand by Kuki groups for a separate administration, presenting himself as a champion of the state's interest and one who will not allow its identity to be diluted.
This was the first unequivocal rejection of the demand by Kukis.
At a press conference on Thursday in New Delhi, some representatives of Kuki-Zo communities demanded the creation of a union territory with a legislature along the lines of Puducherry, arguing that it is the only way out of strife.
Singh, a Meitei accused by Kukis of siding with his community in the ethnic violence which erupted in May last year and polarised Manipur society like never before, has, however, expressed his support for a special development package for the state's hilly region where Kukis live.
The clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Meiti ethnic groups since May 2023 have left 226 dead, according to an official count.