New Delhi: The 10 tribal MLAs of Manipur have refuted chief minister N. Biren Singh’s claim that he has been in touch with them.In a press statement issued on Friday, August 25, the Kuki-Zo-Hmar MLAs clarified that there has been no communication with the chief minister since the outbreak of violence in the state on May 3.Earlier in the day, Hindustan Times had reported Singh as saying that he had been in ‘regular’ touch with the 10 Kuki-Zo-Hmar MLAs who have been demanding separate administration for hill districts.“I have told the MLAs that I will provide them with security and that we must work together to restore normalcy. I have also spoken to the civil society organisations in Imphal (Meitei groups) and said that the MLAs should not be stopped from visiting the valley (Imphal) for work. The MLAs must join work immediately. Also, let me reiterate there can be no division of Manipur,” the chief minister had told the newspaper.Responding to Singh’s claims, the 10 tribal legislators alleged that the chief minister’s claim might be “a ploy to sow seeds of mistrust between them and the Kuki-Zo community people”.“It is hereby clarified by all the 10 Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs that we have not been in touch with CM N. Biren Singh since the outbreak of the communal violence (in Manipur) in May 2023,” the legislators declared.Among those who signed the statement seven of them belong to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two from the Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA), and the other MLA is an Independent.The legislators recounted the violent attack on their fellow MLA Vungzagin Valte on May 4, a day after violence began in the state. Valte – a BJP MLA and adviser to chief minister Singh – had been admitted to a hospital in critical condition.Alleging that there has been no inquiry or arrest in the case so far, the tribal legislators said they don’t want to “face” the “fate” of their colleague by going to the valley. “Of late, Imphal had become the ‘Valley of Death’ for Kuki-Zo-Hmar people,” the legislators said, adding that Valte had been brutally attacked in the state capital while he was returning from a meeting from the official bungalow of the chief minister.While asserting that they have no intention to communicate with Singh, they reiterated their demand for a separate chief secretary and police chief for the Hill Districts as a temporary measure until the conclusion of the political dialogue of SoO groups/KNO-UPF with the Government of India. They had also demanded the same in the memorandum they submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 16.The MLAs also urged the Union government to accept their “legitimate demand” for the creation of a separate administration within the purview of the constitution to restore permanent peace and settlement in the state.