New Delhi: Two days after normal life was paralysed in Kuki-Zo-dominated districts of Manipur, as protests intensified against three legislators from the community for joining the state’s newly formed government, the situation somewhat improved on Saturday (February 7). The MLAs have drawn community anger for defying a stand taken by Kuki-Zo civil society groups, in response to which came the two-day agitation that included shutdowns, rallies and sporadic violence.The protests sent a signal that ethnic tensions have persisted ever since the 2023 conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. By Saturday, reports said, conditions in the hill regions of the state were improving.A 24-hour shutdown, called by the Kuki Students’ Organisation, was observed in Churachandpur district on February 6, following a more volatile bandh a day earlier that saw incidents of arson and clashes with security forces, according to the Hindu. Protesters blocked highways linking Imphal to Mizoram and damaged vehicles. Businesses, educational institutions and public transport services remained shut, reports Hindustan Times.The protests targeted Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, former director general of police L.M. Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate, all Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, who joined the new government led by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh.Demonstrators burnt effigies of the three leaders in Churachandpur and other towns, accusing them of “betrayal” for participating in government formation without securing assurances on the long-standing Kuki-Zo demand for a separate administration similar to a Union Territory, the Telegraph reported.Also read: A Virtual Deputy Chief Minister Sparks Kuki-Zo Unrest as BJP’s Power-Sharing Formula Backfires in ManipurThe Kuki-Zo Council, the apex body of the community, backed the shutdown and announced a social boycott of the three MLAs, stating that their decision disregarded collective resolutions and the suffering endured since ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023. More than 260 people were killed and around 62,000 displaced during the conflict.In stark contrast, four Kuki-Zo MLAs who refused to join the government were publicly felicitated in Churachandpur district.Security was tightened around the residences of the three legislators, even as the Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (ITAC) of Pherzawl and Jiribam districts warned against any harm to Sanate, asserting his constitutional legitimacy as an elected representative, according to the Hindu.“Ngursanglur Sanate is the legitimate and constitutional representative of the ITAC jurisdictional area… Any attempt to demean, intimidate, threaten or cause harm to Ngursanglur Sanate in any manner, as well as vandalisation, destruction, or stealing and robbing of his properties, shall be viewed as deliberately disrespecting the collective stand of the tribal populace of Pherzawl and Jiribam areas,” ITAC said in a statement.While ITAC is a Kuki-Zo-aligned body politically and socially, the districts of Jiribam and Pherzawl have a mixed population and are geographically closer to Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur.Community leaders and church groups in Kangpokpi district reiterated their refusal to support the new government until the demand for separate administration is addressed.Also read: Union Govt to Sign SoO Pact With Kuki-Zo Insurgent Groups Amid ‘Separate Administration’ DemandsMeanwhile, the Union government has sought to downplay the protests, describing them as temporary political posturing rather than a sustained challenge to governance. Officials in New Delhi told the Indian Express that dialogue with Kuki groups was ongoing and expressed confidence that the situation would stabilise in a few days as the elected government begins functioning after prolonged President’s Rule.Officials familiar with the talks told the newspaper that the decision of the Kuki-Zo MLAs to join the government followed consultations (since September) with the Kuki National Organisation and the umbrella group United People’s Front, which are in a Suspension of Operations agreement with the Union government.Notably, these groups have not issued public statements condemning the MLAs who joined the government, even as civil society organisations have demonstrated visible grassroots resistance. Further, Kipgen, the new Deputy Chief Minister, is married to S.T. Thangboi Kipgen, the chief of the KNO, signalling a divergence between on-ground views about government formation and the position of a section of the Kuki-Zo leadership.