The proposed blockade has been supported by about 30 local commercial vehicle owner and operator associations in Kolasib district. File.
| Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Imphal:

Seizure of arms, ammunition, and explosives in Mizoram by the security forces continues unabated with 3,000 electric detonators, 700 metres cordtex, and war-like stores recovered on Sunday in the bordering state and two Myanmar nationals apprehended, officials said.

A defence spokesman said that acting on specific intelligence of the presence of explosives and accessories at Vokte Kai areas of border town Zokhawtar in the Champhai district, Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police launched a joint operation and seized the explosives.

Two bike-borne Myanmar nationals were arrested and from their possession recovered 3,000 electric detonators, 700 metres of cordtex and war-like stores.

The Myanmarese nationals and the recovered items have been handed over to Mizoram Police for further legal action.

Police suspect the Myanmar nationals are trying to smuggle the explosive materials to their country from Mizoram.

Sunday’s seizure of explosive materials is the second such incident in the past two weeks.

On February 3, Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police intercepted two vehicles, apprehended two persons and recovered 800 detonators and 2,000 gelatine sticks from their possession.

On February 12, Mizoram Police intercepted a car at Lunglei Bazar in southern Mizoram and recovered two AK-47 rifles, five US-made M4 carbines, 20 magazines, 504 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 4,675 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition.

The police personnel also recovered Rs 49,550 in cash, some documents, SIM cards, ATM cards and five mobile phones.

Three persons — two residents of Mizoram, and one from neighbouring Tripura, who were carrying the arms and ammunition in the car, were also arrested.

They belong to the Chakma community.

On January 15, Mizoram Police seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from Saithah village in bordering Mamit district, which also shares an unfenced border with Bangladesh.

The arms and ammunition seized include six AK-47 rifles, 10,050 cartridges of AK-47 rifles and 13 magazines.

Police suspect that these arms and ammunition were intended to be smuggled to Bangladesh, where militants or inimical elements might use these weapons for their nefarious activities or violence.

Even as six Mizoram districts — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip — share a 510-km-long unfenced border with Myanmar’s Chin state, mountainous Champhai district is the hot spot for smuggling of various drugs, arms and ammunition and various other contraband.

Various drugs, especially heroin and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, arms and ammunition are often smuggled into the northeastern states of India from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-km-long unfenced border with four northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km).

Aizawl:

Mizoram Police have arrested two members of a Village Defence Party (VDP) in connection with killing a 31-year-old man near Aizawl over allegations of stealing money, officials said on Monday.

A police official said that the two accused identified as K. T. Zonunsanga, 31, and R. Lalhmangaihzuala, 56, were arrested on Sunday and produced before a local court, which sent them to police custody.

Both the detainees are members of the VDP in the Tuirial Airfield area.

The accused reportedly killed the victim David Lalmuanpuia on December 18 over his alleged involvement in a theft case in the Tuirial Airfield locality, around 18 km east of Aizawl.

Expressing his regret over the killing of the 31-year-old man, Home Minister K. Sapdanga urged those involved in community work not to take the law into their hands and act within the framework of the law.

The official said that the VDP members detained Lalmuanpuia and his friend Lalduhsaka on suspicion of stealing money from a pastor’s quarters.

Lalmuanpuia’s mother Nunthangmawii alleged that the VDP members took her son from their house on December 18 night after receiving a complaint from the pastor, who alleged that Rs 26,000 had been stolen from his quarters while he was at church.

Nunthangmawii claimed that the VDP members questioned her son for several hours and continuously assaulted him mercilessly, leading to his death.

“I pleaded for mercy to the VDP members and the pastor to intervene, but none listened to me,” the victim’s mother told the police and the media.

After prolonged questioning and assault, Lalmuanpuia was found unconscious in the VDP room and was shifted to the hospital in Aizawl late on December 18 night.

According to Nunthangmawii, her son succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of December 19.

She said that though her son took drugs sometimes, he was not involved in the theft case as he had been at home when the theft reportedly took place.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint filed by Nunthangmawii.

Lalmuanpuia’s death has rocked the state leading to public outrage, with many demanding stringent punishment for the lynching and blaming the pastor for allegedly failing to respond to the victim’s mother’s plea.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Environment and Social Justice (CESJ), led by social activist Vanramchhuangi urged the state government to take appropriate action against the accused persons.

The CESJ said in a statement that if the government fails to act promptly, it will approach the National Human Rights Commission to seek justice for the victim.

It also demanded that the Mizoram Police Act, 2011, under which the VDP was formed, be amended to prevent community policing outside the law’s boundaries.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Mizoram Sports Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar has asked the central government to consider giving a special status to the northeast to fund sports infrastructure and find talent. He requested Jyotiraditya M Scindia, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), to explore more ways of developing sports infrastructure and funding talent in the northeast other than the flagship Khelo India programme.

“Mr Scindia ji during his recent visit to Mizoram spoke about sports and he mentioned it four times, if I am not mistaken. And Conrad ji touched upon sports again. So, my humble submission this afternoon is that why don’t the DoNER Ministry ask for a special status for northeast when it comes to funding for sports infrastructure?” Mr Hmar said at the three-day Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav event, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.

“The only scheme which is available under the government of India as of now for sports development is through Khelo India, out of which the amount of money pumped into the northeast – which is a sports-loving region – is not enough to sustain the sports lovers of northeast,” the Mizoram Sports Minister said at a session titled ‘Towards Prosperity: Catalysing North East’s Progress for a Viksit Bharat’.

Earlier, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had said the development model will be incomplete if “we fail to connect with sports and music.”

Meghalaya’s capital Shillong is a popular destination of international and domestic bands due to the massive, vibrant music scene there.

Mr Hmar said if India is to host the 2036 Olympics, it should start focussing on talent at an equal priority with sports infrastructure development.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision is to host the 2036 Olympics, and India is bidding for it, so my humble submission is that we need to start now. Gujarat will be able to host it. India will be able to produce the best infrastructure. But the bigger question is, who is going to compete in this infrastructure?” the Mizoram minister said.

“It could turn out to be a huge embarrassment if India ended up with zero gold medals again. The northeast is where the talent is. The people of the northeast, if given the opportunity and the investment is correct in terms of talent identification, and of course in the sports infrastructure, I am sure that we will be able to contribute for the 2036 Olympics,” Mr Hmar said.

“If we can request the government of India to give special funding in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of hosting the 2036 Olympics in terms of talent identification programme and sports infrastructure, I think this afternoon roundtable conference would be a very fruitful one,” he said.

The event held from December 6 to 8 celebrated the northeast’s vibrant culture, and showcased the region’s textile sector, traditional craftsmanship, tourism potential, and unique Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products.

PM Modi visited several pavilions and spoke with artisans and craftsmen showing their products, highlighting the cultural richness and economic potential of the region.

Imphal/Guwahati:

The Manipur government has criticised Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma for calling his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh a “liability” for the state and the BJP. Lalduhoma also called for President’s rule in Manipur, in an interview to The Hindustan Times newspaper.

In a strongly worded statement, the Manipur government said Lalduhoma should not forget that in 1986, he “earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first ever MP in the country to be discharged under anti-defection law”.

“Thirty-four years later in 2020, he also became the first MLA in the country to be disqualified on charge of breaching the same law,” the Manipur government said.

“One may recall that the Mizoram Chief Minister had recently given a controversial speech in the US by calling for formation of a Christian nation by carving out areas from Bangladesh, Myanmar and India. In his words, ‘I want us to have the conviction and confidence that one day, through the strength of God, who made us a nation, we will rise together under one leadership to achieve our destiny of nationhood’,” the Manipur government said.

“India must be wary of the greater agenda of carving a Kuki-Chin Christian nation out of contiguous areas of Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, played out over decades of meticulous planning, through illegal immigration, land grabbing, displacement of original indigenous peoples, formation of Kuki-Chin dominated districts, establishment of Autonomous District Councils, upgradation of such Councils to Scheduled Areas, amalgamation of Kuki-Chin areas and finally nationhood. One must be wary of any attempt to push illegal Kuki-Chin immigrants from Mizoram to Manipur for land grabbing and creation of Greater Mizoram as part of this process,” the Manipur government said.

Manipur has been going through an ethnic crisis between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis – a term given by the British in colonial times – who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur. The Kukis share ethnic ties with people in Myanmar’s Chin State and neighbouring Mizoram.

“In his interview, the Mizoram Chief Minister reveals his democratic credentials by espousing imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur while opposing boundary fencing of the Indo-Myanmar international border. He also calls for reunification of the Zo people. He also talks about the possibility of armed militias in Manipur pointing their guns at Delhi and the need for disarming, and sincere negotiations with hill leaders.

“He further questions the use of border-fencing, saying smuggling of guns, weapons and drugs could not be stopped along the Indo-Bangladesh border despite the border fences there. The Mizoram government has been steadfast in opposing the efforts of the Indian government to fence its open borders with neighbouring Myanmar for the purpose of curbing illegal immigration, trafficking of arms and drugs, internal security and defence. Myanmar is the origin of most of the illegal immigration and drugs problems that Manipur has been facing.

“The ongoing crisis in Manipur is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, whose economy, after illegally settling in the state, driven by cultivation of illicit poppy, had taken a severe hit under Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s War on Drugs. It is not on account of any anti-tribal policy of the state government, as has been falsely portrayed by the Mizoram Chief Minister through fabricated narratives and history. Mizoram Chief Minister must note that Manipur has a recorded history and a rich culture going back thousands of years unlike Mizoram which was carved out of the state of Assam only a few decades ago.

“In the period between 1969 till present, there has been an increase in the number of villages in the districts of Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur and Pherzawl by 893, from 731 to 1,624. In the remaining hill districts of Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, which are Naga-dominated, the increase during the same period is a figure of merely 49, up from 527 to 576, a mere 9 per cent increase.

“The Mizoram CM is apparently unable to fathom the reasons behind this abnormal 122 per cent increase in mushrooming of villages, many of which are in forest areas, in the first group of hill districts, which are Kuki dominated, or which have a sizeable Kuki population.”

The Manipur government said Lalduhoma may like to recollect that the Mizoram government, in view of similar concerns of pressure on land, livelihoods and resources, had instructed Myanmar nationals not to buy land and run business without permission from the state government.

“In addition, the foreigners should also not enrol for Aadhaar, voter list or obtain driving license, amongst others. The Mizoram Chief Minister is engaging in double standards when he criticises the decision of the Manipur government to tackle the issue of illegal immigration similarly in Manipur as ‘anti-tribal’,” the Manipur government in the lengthy, four-page statement.

It said Lalduhoma should understand that people in Manipur are also as human as those in Mizoram and feel the mounting pressure of illegal immigrants on land, livelihoods and resources equally.

Mizoram has fixed a cut-off date in 1950 for defining indigenous and non-indigenous people for implementing the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS). The Manipur Government had likewise set the cut-off date as 1951 for a similar purpose in the Manipur People Bill.

“Yet, in the book ‘The Indigenous Zomi’ co-authored by S. Khamzalian Ngaihte and K Vungzamawi, the authors refer to the Manipur Peoples Bill… (and) voice concern as follows: ‘if the act is to be implemented almost 80 per cent of the tribal population in the hill areas will be excluded from qualification as Manipur people and will be treated as non-Manipur persons… with disastrous consequences.

“The Mizoram Chief Minister may like to dwell on these lines and ponder over the scale of illegal immigration that has happened since 1951 as voiced by these authors from within the so-called Kuki-Zo community, instead of talking about discrimination against tribals by the Manipur government. Incidentally, the Manipur government has fixed a cut-off date of December 31, 1961 for the said purpose subsequently,” the Manipur government said.

Imphal:

The Manipur government has strongly criticised the “constant meddling in the internal affairs” of the violence-hit state by the Mizo National Front (MNF), a Mizoram-based political party led by a former chief minister who was defeated in the last assembly election.

The Manipur government in a statement on Thursday said the MNF has been pushing an “anti-national, pro-Myanmar refugee propaganda” and maintaining an “anti-Manipur stance.”

The statement came after the MNF in a press note issued by its general secretary of outreach VL Krosehnehzova called for the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is from the ruling BJP.

The Manipur government in the statement said the MNF has consistently opposed the Centre’s efforts to secure the border with Myanmar to curb illegal immigration, arms trafficking, and drug smuggling. It said these measures seek to go into the root causes of Manipur’s challenges, including illegal immigration and drug-related issues originating from Myanmar.

The Manipur government reminded the public of the MNF’s historical secessionist movement in the erstwhile Mizo district of Assam.

MNF chief and former Chief Minister Zoramthanga was a member of a Mizo militant group that declared independence from India in 1966. The MNF, founded by Laldenga, waged a two-decade-long militancy against India for independence for a sovereign Mizo nation. Zoramthanga remained an active insurgent of the MNF until the centre and the MNF signed a peace agreement in 1986.

“The ongoing crisis in Manipur is the result of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, whose economy, driven by illicit poppy cultivation, was severely disrupted by the Chief Minister’s War on Drugs,” the Manipur government said.

The Manipur government attributed narratives of religious policy as a factor behind the state violence to propaganda by the MNF and other vested interests at both domestic and international levels.

The state government criticised the MNF for ignoring funding by “narco-terrorists” behind the conflict on the Kuki tribes’ side. It pointed out a significant increase in the number of villages in Kuki-dominated districts between 1969 and the present – an abnormal rise compared to Naga-dominated districts. The government questioned the MNF’s awareness of the reasons behind this dramatic increase, particularly in forested areas.

The Manipur government reminded the MNF that the Mizoram government itself has taken measures to prevent Myanmar nationals from buying land, running businesses, or getting official documentation such as Aadhaar and voter identity cards without permission.

It questioned why the MNF opposed similar efforts by Manipur to tackle illegal immigration.

The press statement highlighted Mizoram’s implementation of a 1950 cut-off date for defining indigenous and non-indigenous persons under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system. Manipur adopted a similar approach with a 1951 cut-off date under the Manipur People Bill, later revised to 1961. It cited concerns raised by members of the Kuki tribes regarding the impact of these measures on tribal population, urging the MNF to reflect on the scale of illegal immigration since 1951.

“The Mizo National Front is reminded that the Mizoram government, in view of similar concerns of pressure on land, livelihoods and resources, had instructed Myanmar nationals not to purchase land and run business without prior permission from the state government. In addition, the foreigners should also not enrol for Aadhaar, voter list or obtain driving licence, amongst others. Why should the MNF oppose the decision of the Manipur government to tackle the issue of illegal immigration similarly in Manipur?” the Manipur government said.

The Manipur government outlined its successes in the ‘War on Drugs’ campaign, including the destruction of drugs worth Rs 60,000 crore in the international market, the seizure of vast quantities of narcotics, and the eradication of 16,787 acres of illicit poppy cultivation.

It noted a 60 per cent decline in poppy cultivation between 2021 and 2023. In contrast, the statement alleged Mizoram has emerged as a transit route for illegal arms and drugs between India and Myanmar.

“The MNF should focus on the looming threat on Mizo society from the drugs trade instead of passing unwarranted comments on legally justified acts of the government of Manipur to combat drugs trafficking. If requested by the MNF, the government of Manipur will extend all assistance to the efforts of the state of Mizoram towards curbing drugs,” the Manipur government said.

The state government detailed its efforts to restore peace and normalcy, including providing food and shelter to over 60,000 people in relief camps, conducting combing operations to recover looted arms, and prosecuting lawbreakers.

Sensitive cases have been handed over to central agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for impartial investigation, and a retired Supreme Court judge is heading a commission of inquiry into the origins of the ethnic conflict.

The statement highlighted positive developments, including peace overtures from the Thadou and Hmar tribes, with reciprocation from the Meitei and Liangmai communities.

It warned of a larger agenda to create a Kuki-Chin nation spanning parts of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh through illegal immigration, land grabbing, and other tactics, stressing that such plans would be met with strong legal action.

“The government of Manipur will not allow the fragmentation of North East India at the behest of foreign vested interests in Manipur or its neighbouring states. Any individual, group, or organisation working towards such an agenda will face the full force of the law,” the statement concluded.

New Delhi:

Comments made by Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma at an event in the US in September have been deliberately taken out of context, and video clips of his address have been shared without showing the full context of what he said, top sources in the Mizoram government with direct knowledge of the matter told NDTV.

Some sections with an agenda are trying hard to malign both the Centre and the state government, sources said, adding legal action against them cannot be ruled out.

Mr Lalduhoma visited the US for a week beginning August 30, and addressed the large Mizo community settled in the US on September 2 and 4. Two months later, parts of his speech on the aspiration of the Zo people living in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar to be reunited under India went viral on social media.

Mr Lalduhoma towards the end of his address on September 4 in Indianapolis had said the reason why he accepted the invitation from the diaspora to visit the US was to “seek a path towards unity for all of us” and to “… rise together under one leadership to achieve our destiny of nationhood.”

“While a country may have borders, a true nation transcends such limitations. We have been unjustly divided, forced to exist under three different governments in three different countries, and this is something we can never accept,” Mr Lalduhoma had said.

‘Agenda-Driven Attempts’

Sources told NDTV this comment has been made to go viral by sections who have an agenda when the nuances of the Chief Minister’s address were very clear – i.e. nothing was said that was anti-India; on the contrary the Chief Minister’s full text of the speeches show a culturally unifying call for the Zo people across borders, especially in Myanmar’s Chin hills region, from where the junta has been pushed back.

The September 4 speech that mentioned “nationhood” is on the same lines as the September 2 address where Mr Lalduhoma clearly spoke about the desire of the Zo people for unification under India, sources said, adding the Chief Minister also mentioned about the “geopolitical realities” at present.

“It is in the nation’s interest to have peace in the region. The Zo people living across the borders have to be culturally united under India to withstand covert designs aimed at destabilising the region. That was the message the Chief Minister was giving,” a top source in the state government told NDTV in Delhi.

“At least in theory, philosophically, even the controversial idea of an Akhand Bharat is a unifying idea, and the call for unification of cross-border peoples who share the same ethnic ties is well within that idea, which is not anti-national. This is all theoretical, but you get the point,” said the source, adding those who are seeing a conspiracy where there is none should step back and take a relook at what the Chief Minister said, in the context of changing geopolitical realities.

‘Centre Knows There’s No Controversy’

The US visit was cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Mr Lalduhomahad had said in his address in Maryland to celebrate Mizo Day.

Indian officials also attended the two events, and the Chief Minister ensured that printouts of the speeches translated into both Mizo and English were given to the attendees including the officials, the sources said, requesting anonymity.

Mr Lalduhoma had thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the unconditional support they have been giving to Mizoram to handle the refugee crisis owing to the conflict in Myanmar.

The text of the speeches has been on the Mizoram government’s website for the last two months, until some vested interests brought it up and twisted it with a malicious intent, sources said.

“The word ‘hnam‘ in Mizo was translated as ‘nationhood’, which is not. When the Chief Minister said land has borders, what he meant was community, ethnic group and blood relations don’t have borders. But it was taken as literally meaning nationhood. So this was the primary misunderstanding of his speech,” the source said.

“What is very unfortunate is there seems to be some propaganda against us. Mr Lalduhoma was a former Indian Police Service officer, a former MP, a five-time MLA and now Chief Minister. His loyalty and commitment to the nation is second to none. He is probably the most qualified among all chief ministers, the most Indian for that matter. So thinking of him as a separatist, agenda-driven is just not possible,” the source said.

“Our voices have to be heard. If the rhetoric continues, people will assume wrong things about our state… In his Maryland speech, he (Mr Lalduhoma) went on to say that if we were not part of India today, if Mizoram were to be independent, would we find another India? I don’t think any other country would literally spoon feed us, take care of us like India is doing. He even gave the example of minorities in China. Look at the situation out there [in China]. We are proud Indians today. That was really the message that he was trying to get out,” the source said.

“It is very clear; it is about reunification under India… This is something which we want to make very clear,” said the source, who has a first-hand view of the matter.

Geopolitical Dimension

Mizoram government sources said it has been nearly three years since the coup in Myanmar, and feeding and taking care of all the displaced people and refugees in a small state as Mizoram remains a huge challenge. There are also concerns over a rise in drug trafficking. The sources said the Mizoram government can’t thank the central government enough for the massive help it has been giving to ensure enough resources are available with the state to tide over the refugee crisis.

“The people of Mizoram are not immune to the strain that all these efforts bring. There is especially a growing dissatisfaction even in our own community, especially from the intellectual circle. Yes, we are welcoming them as brothers and sisters, but what are we getting back in return? We are getting drugs, this and that. So the frustration is growing, obviously,” the source said.

NDTV had reported that a portion of Mr Lalduhoma’s speech in the US which mentioned the state “cannot fight three enemies simultaneously” had been taken out of context on social media, with clips of this speech beginning only from the middle being shared widely.

In the full speech uploaded on the ‘USA Mizo News’ YouTube channel, Lalduhoma referring to a point in time in history said, “So far as ZORO was concerned, the main policy of ZORO was to have reunification within India. We cannot fight Myanmar, we cannot fight India, we cannot fight Bangladesh simultaneously. We cannot afford to have three enemies which are bigger than us…”

The entire controversy, hence, is about this portion of Mr Lalduhoma’s speech on September 4 in Indianapolis i.e. his closing comments – which remained trouble-free for two months till vested interests and agenda-driven elements twisted it, sources said.

Mr Lalduhoma became Chief Minister after his Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) defeated the Mizo National Front (MNF) headed by former Chief Minister Zoramthanga in the assembly election in December 2023. The MNF, which won 26 seats in the 2018 state election, won only 10 in the December polls.

The ZPM was registered as a political party in 2019. The party won 27 seats – up from 8 seats in the 2019 polls – in the election that propelled Lalduhoma to the top post.

New Delhi/Guwahati:
A speech by Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma in the US in September has gone viral now. Mizoram government sources had told NDTV he spoke about reunification of the Zo people under India. However, he gave two speeches, one of which sparked the row.

Here’s your 10-point cheatsheet to this big story

New Delhi/Guwahati:

A speech given by Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma in the US nearly two months ago on reunification of the Zo people, which has gone viral now, has no element of controversy as the Chief Minister spoke about reunification under India, sources in the Mizoram government told NDTV.

Lalduhoma made the comment at an event to celebrate Mizo Day in Maryland on September 2. At the outset, the Chief Minister said he came to the US after taking permission from the Ministry of External Affairs, and he shared his itinerary with them.

Lalduhoma in his address on September 2 said, “… The main objective of [the] ZORO Movement in 1988 was Zo-Reunification within India. Can the ‘Zo’ people in India, Burma and Bangladesh today, aspire to be re-united under India? Looking at the geopolitical realities of our time, it may not be so farfetched to think this could be a possibility one day. Perhaps, fate has this reunification in store for us in the future…”

The full text of the September 2 speech is available on the website of the Mizoram government’s Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).

The Mizoram Chief Minister gave another speech on September 4, this time in Indianapolis, where he said his people have been “unjustly divided.” It is this September 4 speech which has triggered a massive controversy.

READ | “We Can’t Stop Border Fencing, But Will Oppose It”: Mizoram Chief Minister

In his address to the Zo diaspora in the US, Lalduhoma said: “… As I approach the end of my speech, I want to let everyone here know that the primary reason I accepted the invitation to visit the United States is to seek a path towards unity for all of us.

“We are one people – brothers and sisters – and we cannot afford to be divided or apart from one another. I want us to have the conviction and confidence that one day, through the strength of God, who made us a nation, we will rise together under one leadership to achieve our destiny of nationhood.

“While a country may have borders, a true nation transcends such limitations. We have been unjustly divided, forced to exist under three different governments in three different countries, and this is something we can never accept.

“We are fortunate that we are still connected through our lands and that there are no pretenders to insert themselves in our midst and cause division – this truly is a blessing from God…”

The full text of the September 4 speech is also available on the Mizoram government DIPR’s website.

READ | Sheikh Hasina Alleges Plot To Carve Out Christian Country From Bangladesh: Report

From politicians to academics, many have raised concerns over Lalduhoma’s speech in Indianapolis, with questions varying from what the law says about how an elected person should conduct themselves abroad to the wildly conspiratorial claim by ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that a certain nation wants to “carve out a Christian country” by taking parts of Myanmar and Bangladesh.

“Can someone who has taken an oath of allegiance to the Indian Constitution speak in a way that suggests breaking India apart? Do the Mizoram Council of Churches and other church bodies across India support Lalduhoma’s communal, divisive, and anti-national stance? Is Lalduhoma speaking for himself? Or for the external powers who want to reshape South Asia’s geopolitical scene?” former two-time BJP MP Balbir Punj said in a post on X.

The following speech of Chief Minister of #Mizoram PU Lalduhoma (@Lal_Duhoma) is self-explanatory. In his speech, he shares his vision of an independent ‘Christian state’ encompassing Christian-majority areas in three different countries. It is easy to deduce that these countries… pic.twitter.com/hHKq9Oum9E

— Balbir Punj (@balbirpunj) November 4, 2024

Dr Arambam Noni, associate professor of political science at DM University Manipur, said ethnocentric accumulation of people for a homeland will disturb the overlapping demographic spaces.

“He seems to be sort of trying to aggravate the relationship between overlapping multiethnic demographic spaces, which can lead to conflict. He is trying to signal as if demography is going to play a big role in the making of a homeland,” Dr Arambam, who has been speaking in public forums on northeast issues especially those concerning Mizoram’s neighbour Manipur, told NDTV.

‘Demography Is Dated Politics’

“Demography is dated politics and is sectarian in some sense. The problem with the idea of transnational, territorial and ethnic unification in post-colonial states is that no mechanisms exist to do this. The modern state system cannot entertain such an idea simply because it contravenes the historically established territorialities. However, there is no problem in developing a cultural affinity,” Dr Arambam said.

“He (Lalduhoma) is saying that colonialism divided and dispersed their people in three different countries. But at the same time he is using the idioms of colonial culture to reunify the same people. This culture that he is using to connect people was an invention of colonialism,” Dr Arambam said.

“Interspace tranquillity must also be kept in mind while vouching for pan ethnic homeland,” he added.

Lalduhoma became Chief Minister after his Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) defeated the Mizo National Front (MNF) headed by former Chief Minister Zoramthanga in the assembly election in December 2023. The MNF, which won 26 seats in the 2018 state election, won only 10 in the December polls.

The ZPM was registered as a political party in 2019. The party won 27 seats – up from 8 seats in the 2019 polls – in the election that propelled Lalduhoma to the top post.

An over-three-decade-old issue is set to be resolved with the Assam Rifles and the Mizoram government arriving at an agreement for the paramilitary force to move out of its battalion headquarters in the heart of the state capital, Aizawl, to an area 15 km from the city. 

In 1988, 12 civilians had been killed by personnel from the Assam Rifles and the state government, led by then chief minister Laldenga, had demanded that the force shift out of the capital. 

On Saturday, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said the Assam Rifles will start moving out of the Aizawl headquarters in April to a base in Zokhawsang, about 15 km from the city. He said a memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed at Mizoram House in New Delhi on Wednesday.  

The signatories to the agreement are Vanlaldina Fanai, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Mizoram, and Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera, the Director General of Assam Rifles. 

Mr Lalduhoma said the MoA will come into effect from April 1, 2025, and construction of some facilities at Zokhawsang is yet to be completed.

The chief minister added that the Government of Mizoram will pay a depreciated cost to Assam Rifles by April 2025 and all the places handed over by the force to the state will be reserved for public purposes under the Mizoram (Restriction on Use of Transferred Land) Act, 2022.