Manipur Tensions Rise Over Kuki Group's Gate on Sacred Meitei Site

Guwahati: In what has triggered fresh tension in trouble-torn Manipur, the Manipur government has registered an FIR and moved to take action against the alleged setting up of a gate on the Thangjing hill range declaring the area, which is sacred to the Meitei community as of the Kuki National Front – Military Council (KNF-MC).

Indicating that action of the Kuki armed group may trigger fresh tension between the two communities, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh announced that his government has filed a police case against the Kuki armed group, as the area is a protected site. The renaming by the armed group also violated the Manipur Names of Places Act, 2024, he said.

It is significant that the Meitei community in the lakeside Moirang town had been going for pilgrimage to Thangjing ching, the home of the deity Ibudhou Thangjing. They believe that the Thangjing ching site to be at least 2,000 years old. The tribes call this hill range Thangting, which falls under Churachandpur district.

In an obvious bid to pacify the situation the chief minister said, "Immediately taken up measures to book any group or individuals involved in changing any existing names without the approval of the government. Under the Manipur Names of Places Act, 2024 a case has also been registered for changing Thangjing ching, which is also a protected site, to Thangting.”

The Manipur cabinet in October 2022 had decided to include four hectares of Ibudhou Thangjing, two hectares of Koubru Laipham, and four hectares of Lai Pukhri under Section 4 of the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1976, which protects these places from encroachments.

Security sources keeping a close watch over the situation said that the Kuki insurgent group's act to install a signboard claiming the hill as the "camp" of the "Kuki Army" would be taken as an act of hostility. They said that the central government has also been briefed about the escalation by the armed group, and possible course of action.

Security sources said that the action of the Manipur chief minister came after a photo had been doing the rounds of a gate with a board that says it is the entry to ‘Kuki National Front – Military Council; Kuki Army; Thangting Camp’. This has triggered outrage among sections of the Meitei community, security sources said.

After the direction of Manipur chief minister, the Under Secretary (Land Resources) to the Manipur government on Tuesday wrote to the officer-in-charge of Imphal police station, asking that a zero FIR be registered in this matter under the Manipur government’s new Manipur Names of Places Act, as well as the Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1976. The FIR was registered against KNF-MC.