The Union government and the chief minister of Manipur have jointly embarked on a communal agenda aimed at "ethnic cleansing" of Kuki tribals in the northeastern state, a prominent body of tribals has alleged in the Supreme Court.

As relentless ethnic violence held the state in a vice-like grip, the NGO urged the apex court not to rely on "empty assurances" given by the Centre and sought protection of the minority Kuki tribals by the Army.

The Manipur Tribal Forum, which has filed an interlocutory application in the apex court, said, "The assurances of the authorities are not useful anymore and made in a non-serious fashion and are not even intended to be implemented.

"The reason why this court ought not to rely anymore on the empty assurances given by UOI (Union of India) is because both the UOI and the Chief Minister of the State have embarked jointly on a communal agenda for the ethnic cleansing of the Kukis." The NGO claimed despite assurances, 81 more people belonging to the tribe have been killed and 31,410 displaced since May 17, when the top court last heard the matter.

The petition said the narrative that there is a "clash" between the two communities- the majority Meiteis and the tribals- is far from truth as the two have coexisted since long.

"Such a narrative misses the fact that the two communities have co-existed for a long time despite their sometime deep-rooted differences and, secondly, that the unique situation presently existing is of a couple of armed communal groups linked to the party in power in the State, carrying out a predesigned communal attack on the tribals.

"The 'clash' narrative camouflages the presence of these two groups behind all the attacks and renders them immune from prosecution thereby emboldening them to carry on further attacks," the petition said.

It sought constitution of an SIT headed by former Assam police chief Harekrishna Deka and an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 crore to the kin of each of those killed within three months. It also demanded a permanent government job to a member of the families of those slain.

On May 17, the top court had directed the Manipur government to take steps to foster confidence and ensure peace and tranquillity in the state torn by ethnic violence, asserting being the top-most court it can ensure that the political executive exercises its power and does not turn a blind eye to the situation.

Taking note of the submissions on alleged provocative statements by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the top court had asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to advise him to exercise restraint.

The state is in the throes of a bloody conflict between the Meiteis and tribal Kukis since the March 27 Manipur High Court order that asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status to the majority community.

The apex court is seized of a batch of pleas on the Manipur situation, including one by a ruling BJP MLA challenging the high court order on Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community, and a PIL by a tribal outfit for an SIT probe into the violence that has rocked the northeastern state.

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