A delegation of seven BJP legislators met with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, urging him for intensified recovery of illegal arms in the state’s hill districts and swift peace negotiations between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

The conflict, which began over a controversial move to grant Scheduled Tribe status to Meiteis, has since evolved into a prolonged ethnic standoff, with over 200 lives lost, thousands displaced, and large caches of arms and ammunition looted from state armouries.

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At a press briefing held at the BJP’s state headquarters on Friday, Lamlai MLA Kh Ibomcha, who led the delegation, stressed the urgent need for equitable and consistent arms recovery efforts.

“More than 1,000 weapons were surrendered during the February-March surrender in Imphal following the Governor’s appeal. Recovery operations have been slow in the hills compared to the Imphal Valley,” he said,

The legislators also urged the Governor to expedite dialogue between Meitei and Kuki-Zo leaders, calling for punitive measures against individuals engaged in acts of provocation or hate.

“There must be accountability for those who fan communal tensions,” Ibomcha emphasized.

In addition, the BJP MLAs drew attention to growing resentment over restrictions imposed on sacred Meitei religious sites, particularly Thangjing Hills, which they claimed were being encroached upon.

“We requested the Governor to intervene and safeguard religious rights and cultural sanctity,” said Ibomcha.

The delegation also sought swift action on crop compensation for farmers whose lands have been left unattended due to the ongoing violence, and asked for faster disbursal of housing assistance for those displaced by the conflict.