New Delhi, Aug 10:   The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) held a prominent protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, demanding a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo tribal communities in the violence-affected state of Manipur. Despite heavy rainfall, around 600-800 members of the Kuki and Zo communities participated in the demonstration.

The Delhi-NCR unit of the KSO also delivered a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the creation of a distinct administrative system for the Kuki-Zo people. Additionally, the group voiced strong disapproval of the central government’s recent decision to withdraw the 9th and 22nd Battalions of the Assam Rifles from buffer zones in Manipur.

The KSO’s statement raised concerns about the impact of replacing the Assam Rifles with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in these crucial areas. The buffer zones, set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May 2023, played a vital role in keeping the Meitei and Kuki communities apart and maintaining order, the KSO noted.

KSO General Secretary Seilenmang Haokip stressed the critical role of the Assam Rifles in preventing further violence and ensuring regional stability. The protestors urged prompt action to meet their demands and avert worsening ethnic conflict in Manipur.