Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: BJP MLA Haokholet Kipgen urged communities across Manipur to stay calm following a deadly shooting on October 19. Three civilians died and three others suffered injuries during the attack at Nongshum-Sunurok. The legislator from the 51-Saitu (ST) Assembly constituency issued a statement Monday calling for a neutral investigation into the violence.
Kipgen warned against letting the tragedy widen existing divisions. He expressed worry that bad actors might use the violence to spark fresh conflict after three years of tension. "Until the circumstances are conclusively established, we must not allow this tragedy to deepen existing fault lines," Kipgen stated. He pushed for collective responsibility and warned the public not to act as tools for those intent on sabotaging peace.
The MLA noted the difficulty of reconciliation but insisted that trust requires patience and political maturity. He recently attended an assembly session in Imphal despite his own fears to help bridge the divide between groups. "Meaningful engagement, rather than estrangement, is indispensable to rebuilding confidence and restoring normalcy," he said. Kipgen concluded by asking all citizens to reject provocation and uphold the rule of law to protect the state's fragile peace.
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