Double Standards in Action: A peaceful tribute by Kuki students at India Gate results in an FIR, yet inflammatory rhetoric against the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur goes unpunished. Why the silence on hate speech?
BY PC Bureau
Delhi Police’s recent FIR against the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) for holding a peaceful candlelight march at India Gate on March 8 might be legally justified, as the location falls within a high-security zone where protests are prohibited. The Kuki students should have sought permission before gathering to mourn the death of one of their own in clashes with security forces in Kangpokpi earlier that day.
Citing violations of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, the Delhi Police deemed the march an “unauthorized assembly” and swiftly filed an FIR against the organizers. However, this raises a crucial question: why the double standard in handling protests?
On the same day, the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) was allowed to hold a rally in Imphal without any prior permission, despite the heightened tensions in Manipur. Not only did the authorities fail to act against the unauthorized gathering, but they also ignored the inflammatory rhetoric delivered during the event.
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The president of FOCS openly incited hatred against the Kuki community, declaring:
“Manipur is only for Meiteis and the Indigenous Nagas. All other communities (Kuki, Muslim Pangal, Nepali, etc.) don’t belong to this land. They are made to stay here out of mercy.”
This statement, which has since gone viral, is a blatant example of hate speech. Yet, Manipur Police has turned a blind eye to it. Th. Manihar, who led the rally, later resigned, citing “moral responsibility” for his remarks. However, his speech not only exposed deep-seated animosity toward the Kuki-Zo community but also reinforced suspicions that the so-called “March to the Hills” was a deliberate attempt to provoke unrest.
Also Read: Opinion: Prosecute Th. Manihar for March 8 Violence
In fact, Manihar bears direct responsibility for the violence on March 8. His insistence on marching to the hills triggered strong reactions from Kuki organizations. The administration’s silence in the days leading up to the rally only worsened tensions. If the authorities never granted permission for the FOCS rally, why didn’t they issue a prior warning to Manihar? Why was he allowed to proceed with the march, only to be stopped at the Imphal border? More importantly, why has no action been taken against him for his hate speech?
The Exclusivity of the Meitei Community
“Manipur belongs exclusively to the Meitei and a few Naga tribes,” asserts Th. Manihar, President of FOCS.
Before the Kuki community demanded a #SeparateAdministration, the Meitei made it clear that they do not consider the Kuki and other… pic.twitter.com/PPijlDNl2o
— Sumkawn (@Sumkawn) March 9, 2025
The stark contrast in the treatment of the KSO’s peaceful march and the FOCS rally further exposes the conflicting approach of both Delhi Police and the Manipur administration. It also raises serious concerns about the impartiality of Manipur Raj Bhavan under Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla’s leadership. At a time when tensions in Manipur remain high, such double standards only deepen the divide and erode trust in the authorities.
