Students and supporters, under the banner of the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), staged a protest in New Delhi on Saturday, urging the Central government to reconsider its decision to withdraw the 9th and 22nd Battalions of the Assam Rifles from buffer zones in Manipur.
The demonstrators who gathered at the Jantar Mantar expressed concerns over the implications of replacing the Assam Rifles with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in these sensitive areas. According to a statement by the KSO, the buffer zones were established by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May 2023 to separate the conflicting Meitei and Kuki communities and prevent further violence in the state.
The KSO statement read, "The buffer zones, established by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May 2023, have been maintained by the Assam Rifles to separate the warring Meitei and Kuki communities and prevent further violence in the conflict-ridden state."
A KSO spokesperson at the rally emphasized the crucial role the Assam Rifles have played in stabilizing the buffer zones, warning that their withdrawal at this volatile juncture could reverse the progress made towards peace and potentially lead to renewed violence.
The organization also underscored the Assam Rifles' deep-rooted presence in the northeast, noting their familiarity with the region’s terrain and socio-political landscape, as well as the trust they have built with local communities.
