New Delhi:
A speech by the leader of a Canada-based Kuki-Zo tribal group from Manipur on ethnic violence in the homeland has sparked a huge controversy. The event took place in early August at the same gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, where chief and Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead by unknown people in June.
Lien Gangte, head of the Canadian chapter of the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), in his speech condemned what he called “attacks on minorities in India” and asked Canada for “all possible assistance.”
NAMTA had posted a video of the event on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) on August 7. It removed the videos much later as the row between India and Canada surfaced following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim last week that “Indian government agents” were involved. in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar.
Mr Gangte, on behalf of the Kuki-Zo tribes to which he belongs, spoke at length about the ethnic violence between the hill-majority tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis.
“On May 4, a gang attacked our house and tried to kill my father. He is 80 years old… They looted our house and set it on fire. My older brother and his family ran away with only the clothes they were wearing “Manipur has been on fire since May 3. More than 120 of our people have been killed, more than 7,000 houses have been looted and burned, hundreds of churches have been burned and 200 villages in the valley have been razed to the ground,” Gangte said.
“The authorities have done nothing to control the violence. Manipur police instead encouraged the rioters. We were viciously removed from the Imphal Valley, so we consider this ethnic cleansing. They burned a seven-year-old boy, his mother and a relative in an ambulance… And they say we need to talk about peace and normalcy,” Mr Gangte alleged.
“…When all this happened in India, where was Prime Minister Narendra Modi…He went to US, France, Egypt, except the place that needed his attention the most,” said the leader of NAMTA Canada. “No minority is safe in India. Whether they are Muslims, Sikhs or Christians. We condemn attacks on minorities in India. We are asking for all possible help from Canada,” Mr Gangte said.
Indian intelligence agencies are monitoring NAMTA’s activities and the Kuki-Zo group’s alleged links with Khalistanis, The Times of India reported on Thursday, citing unnamed officials.
After Mr Gangte’s speech, NAMTA members and supporters of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar also gathered for a meeting, First Post reported on Thursday, citing unnamed intelligence sources. The development has alarmed the intelligence agencies, the report said.
Sources in the Manipur government told DailyExpertNews that they have seen the social media reports about NAMTA’s activities in Canada. “We saw the NAMTA video. It is worrying, but we are confident that the intelligence agencies are tracking them, given the situation in Manipur. We are currently working hard to bring normalcy and peace,” said a senior officer of Manipur Home Ministry. told DailyExpertNews, requesting anonymity.
A Kuki-Zo communications professional who has been monitoring the Manipur crisis told DailyExpertNews that the NAMTA video has been blown out of proportion and the critics are forcing a conspiracy where none exists. The video came out in early August and no one had any problem with it until the Canada-India feud over Nijjar’s murder started.
“This talk about NAMTA’s association with Khalistanis is a big lie. It has no credibility whatsoever, apart from the troll handles posting this. If trolls are going to call you a terrorist tomorrow, should you make a statement?” said the communications professional, requesting anonymity.
More than 180 people have been killed in the ethnic violence in Manipur that started on May 3 between the Kuki tribes and the Meiteis over the Meiteis’ demand for status as Scheduled Tribes. Thousands have been displaced and live in relief camps and prefabricated houses.