The central and the state governments must restore peace in violence-hit Manipur quickly and rebuild the destroyed homes of internally displaced people, according to students from the northeast who participated at a peaceful protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Tuesday.
They raised their voice against attempts to divide Manipur. Some of the placards read "no separate administration," "peaceful coexistence for everyone," "save territorial integrity of Manipur", etc which are the common themes in the Manipur crisis.
The MLAs, civil society organisations, and ceasefire-linked insurgent groups of the Kukis tribes dominant in some hill areas of Manipur have been speaking in the same language in demanding what they call a "separate administration" carved out of Manipur.
"Manipur's peace and harmony are of paramount importance, and must be prioritised. The indigenous people must maintain unity by setting aside differences introduced as a result of the British occupation.
The Indian national interest and the interests of Manipur's indigenous people are one and the same," historian and geopolitical analyst Abhijit Chavda, who was one of the six speakers at the protest, told the gathering.
Colonel Kishore Chand (retired) said government agencies have been working tirelessly to help families of people killed in the clashes, thousands of internally displaced people, and those who were injured in the violence.
The four others also spoke on the theme of keeping Manipur's territorial integrity intact; they are Colonel Shanti Kumar Sapam (retired), social activists Elizabeth Kh and Rajshree Kumari, and Delhi University Assistant Professor Dr M Ojit Kumar Singh.