: Amidst the simmering ethnic strife, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of the state, on Friday took out a mass rally from Imphal West’s Thau Ground. The rally, which was effectively one to counter the demand for a separate administration by the Kuki-Zo community, was attended by hundreds of students from the city’s top schools and colleges. The rally also asserted that the integrity of the state should be maintained, and called for an end to the Suspension of Operations pact with Kuki-Zo groups, and advocated for stopping the combing operations that they believe are being conducted in a biased manner.
They also demanded NRC in the state. Imphal West Independent MLA Nishikanta Singh Sapam, who also attended the rally, said, “I am an Independent MLA but a Manipuri first so I joined the rally to show my support for the people.” Mr.
Sapam reiterated that the people of Manipur will never compromise on the integrity of the State and that any demand for a split in the State’s boundaries as they stand today would be unacceptable. “The people are clearly feeling that the need is to be able to protect themselves because the administration has failed them. And in the middle of this, they are also feeling like combing operations are only being done in the valley to recover weapons but not in the Hills,” Mr.
Sapam told reporters. Mr Somorendro, Coordinator of the COCOMI, one of the most influential Civil Society Organisations in the .
