Imphal: In pursuit of their demand for a Kuki exclusive separate State, the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) has called a 72 hours general strike in Kuki inhabited areas and 96 hours economic blockade on National and State Highways.
The general strike would come into effect from 6 pm of May 12 till 6 pm of May 15.The highway blockade would come into force from 6 pm of May 15 till 6 pm of May 19, declared KSDC spokesperson K Khongsai.
Speaking to media persons at B Vengnuam community hall, Churachandpur this afternoon, K Khongsai claimed that Kuki people have a proud history and a distinctive customary administrative system.
The Kukis were independent people before the arrival of the British imperialists.
To protect their ancestral territory, Kuki fought against the British empire for three years starting from 1917 .
After this, Kukis joined the Indian National Army and fought hard to drive out the British from the land of Kukis.
After independence, many kingdoms were merged into the Indian Union but Kukis were left out.
Nevertheless, the Kuki leaders were hopeful that the Government of India would reward them for their immense contribution in the war of independence.
But the hopes of Kuki leaders never materialised.
Subsequently, the Kuki National Assembly held a general body meeting on March 24, 1960 and resolved to demand a separate State for Kukis.
The same resolution was highlighted to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru through a memorandum.
The Prime Minister reportedly gave his assurance to the Kuki leaders.
In the following years, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) too submitted many memoranda to the Government of India demanding a separate Kuki State within the constitution of India.
However, no positive response has been forthcoming till date.
The KSDC was constituted with the objective of realising this legitimate demand, and in pursuit of this demand, it spearheaded a number of democratic protest movements including bandhs last year.
But so far, the Government of India has been acting mute and blind, K Khongsai decried.
He further informed that media and medical services would be exempted from the purview of the agitation scheduled from May 12 to May 19 .
Source: The Sangai Express
