Calling the KNO and UPF “militants, not peace partners,” Thadou accused the Centre of risking national integrity through continued appeasement.
BY PC Bureau
June 15, 2025 — In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, T. Michael Lamjathang Haokip, President of the Thadou Students Association (TSA‑GHQ) and spokesperson of the BJP in Manipur, has appealed for the immediate abrogation of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF).
Haokip has warned that any extension of the SoO pact amid President’s Rule in the state could provoke “mass civil unrest” on a scale comparable to the June 2001 uprising that left 18 protestors dead. “Public sentiment in Imphal valley is boiling—not just against UPF/KNO militant groups but also against the perceived inaction or complicity of the Government of India,” Haokip writes.
The appeal comes just days before the 24th anniversary of the June 18, 2001, uprising, a highly sensitive time in the state’s political calendar. Haokip draws a direct comparison between the current situation and the events that led to the violent protests two decades ago, when an Indo-Naga ceasefire was extended “without territorial limits” under similar conditions during President’s Rule.
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“Militants, Not Partners in Peace”
Describing the KNO and UPF as insurgent entities that have continued to foment violence, Haokip argued that their continued patronage by the Centre would be akin to “planting a human-triggered volcano in an already volatile state.” He underscored that the Ministry of Home Affairs has consistently failed to control SoO groups, and noted that these groups often fall under the operational influence of the Army and Assam Rifles, not civilian authority.
Haokip referred to the unanimous 2021 resolution by the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly—which had a BJP majority—rejecting any extension of the SoO pact. He warned that ignoring this democratic mandate would “violate the Constitution” and “undermine federalism.”
Despite being a party loyalist, Haokip did not hold back in his critique. He emphasized that any unilateral extension of the agreement without broad-based consultations—including with valley and hill tribal leaders like those from the Thadou community—would erode trust and further destabilize Manipur.
READ: Second Round of Manipur Peace Talks to Focus on Post-Violence Realities
A Personal Stake
Haokip also revealed that he has suffered personal losses during the ongoing Manipur conflict, lending emotional weight to his letter. “The future stability of Manipur and the faith of the people in the Government of India are at stake,” he concluded.
The letter, marked “Top Confidential” and now circulating in political circles, places the Modi government in a tight spot as it weighs the security calculus of engaging insurgent groups against the backdrop of a deeply fractured public sentiment.
