NEW DELHI: Blockading NHs in Manipur by ethnic groups to inconvenience opponents is common but the Supreme Court on Friday took serious note of the humanitarian crisis such actions unleash after an NGO of Kuki women claimed that blockading of NH-2 and connected supply routes to Kangpokpi has left the population in there without food and healthcare.Senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights, told a bench of CJI Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the NH-2 and supply routes to Kangpokpi has been blocked by Naga groups creating a crisis for the population and requested the SC to direct the Centre and the state to reopen the NH. “The state just can’t sit and do nothing,” he complained.Intervening in the matter, an Imphal-based NGO – International Meitei Organization – through senior advocate Ngangom Junior Luwang said the Kukis had been “responsible for blocking all major NHs in Manipur since May 2023, after the Kuki-Meitei ethnic clashes began, and now they are playing the ‘victim card’ when faced with the consequences of such blockades by another ethnic group.”“It is a matter of record that since May 3, 2023, members of the community, of which the petitioner is a part of, have been blocking all major NHs in Manipur – NH2 (Imphal to Dimapur), NH-37 (Imphal to Silchar), and NH-102 (Imphal to Moreh) and except for intermittent flow of goods vehicles through extortion rackets reportedly perpetuated by Kuki community,” the NGO alleged.
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CJI Kant said the blockade war must stop, groups must sit together, abjure violence, and cooperate with each other so that the supply of essential commodities and medicines are not disrupted. When Luwang welcomed the CJI’s suggestion, Grover immediately offered the petitioner organisation’s cooperation but wondered who would bring the Naga group to the talks.SC issued notices to the Centre, Manipur govt and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and said the larger public interest demands removal of blockade of all NHs in the state as well as restoration of supply to Kangpokpi district.It said Grover assured that his client in cooperation with social organisations would work towards the same and recorded similar sentiments expressed by Luwang on behalf of the Meitei NGO. It asked all the parties to suggest modalities for reopening all NHS without engaging in blame games. It posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks.
