Imphal, 21st June 2023: A Manipur cabinet subcommittee tasked to identify the illegal immigrants across the state submitted its report and claimed that over 2,000 Myanmar nationals have set up settlements inside Manipur and refused to be moved to designated shelters.
According to documents filed by the cabinet subcommittee chaired by Tribal Affairs and Hill Development Minister Letpao Haokip, the team visited two regions on March 29 and April 1 this year, where they spoke with illegal immigrants and discussed giving humanitarian help and shelters.
The cabinet subcommittee, which included Manipur ministers Awangbow Newmai and Thounaojam Basanta, also took photos, videos, and audio recordings of their interactions with illegal immigrants in Gamphazol, Senapati district, on March 29, and Singhat, Churachandpur district, on April 1.
Following the field trips, the cabinet subcommittee presented the state government with its “initial findings” report on April 24, stating that they had found 2,187 illegal immigrants in 41 places.
The leaders of the Kuki tribe, however, explained that the government was harassing Indian citizens in the name of trying to identify the illegal immigrants in the state.
The BJP government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh only wants to brand genuine Indian Kuki tribes as illegal immigrants, Kuki groups have alleged.
