September 11, 2025
IMPHAL – Several organisations representing the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur have welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to the state on September 13, but have objected to the inclusion of a cultural dance programme as part of the official reception.
The Imphal Hmar Displaced Committee issued a statement stressing that the prime minister should meet victims of the year-long ethnic violence rather than be greeted with celebratory events.
“Our mourning is not yet over, our tears are not yet dried, our wounds are not yet healed. We cannot dance with joy,” the group said in a statement highlighting the plight of thousands still languishing in relief camps.
The Gangte Students’ Organisation in Churachandpur echoed the sentiment, saying while it welcomed the prime minister’s arrival, the occasion could not be marked with festivities.
“We cannot dance with tears in our eyes,” the group said, but added that Modi’s presence could help provide a sense of healing and a platform for affected communities to express their grievances.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki community, took a more political stance, asserting that Modi’s visit must go beyond symbolic gestures.
While calling for a warm reception, it stressed that justice, dignity, and recognition of the “collective aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people” were essential. The organisation reiterated its long-standing demand for a lasting political solution, warning that temporary relief measures would not resolve the deep-rooted causes of the conflict.
The prime minister’s visit is also expected to open the door for grievances from the Meitei community in the Imphal valley.
Women’s group Imagi Mesra urged Modi to direct authorities to ensure the safe passage of Meiteis along national highways, which remain volatile and frequently blocked due to the unrest.
Manipur has been mired in ethnic violence since May 2023, when clashes broke out between the majority Meitei community, largely concentrated in the Imphal valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribes, spread across the hill districts. What began as tensions over Scheduled Tribe status for Meiteis escalated into full-scale violence, claiming over 260 lives and displacing more than 60,000 people.
In the wake of the violence, the Centre imposed President’s Rule in Manipur, following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, while the state assembly was placed under suspended animation.
Security forces continue to maintain a fragile peace, but sporadic clashes and highway blockades underline the unresolved tensions.