Led by the Tangkhul Naga Long and allied groups under the United Naga Council, demonstrators brought Ukhrul to a standstill, carrying placards against militarisation, the SoO agreement, and alleged demographic changes while submitting a detailed memorandum to the Prime Minister and Home
BY PC Bureau
November 5:: Hundreds of Naga demonstrators poured into the streets of Ukhrul district in Manipur on Thursday, demanding that New Delhi end the state’s protracted political turmoil, halt what they called a “proxy war” targeting their community, and remove Assam Rifles from Naga-majority areas.
The protest, jointly organised by the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and the Tangkhul Frontal Organisation under the United Naga Council (UNC), saw participants from across the district gather at Dungrei Junction and Mission Ground before marching to the Ukhrul Headquarters Ground for a public meeting. Normal life ground to a halt as shops shut, private institutions closed and public transport stayed off the roads for the duration of the demonstration.
Reports said that marchers carried placards highlighting militarisation, the ongoing ethnic violence and the presence of armed outfits. Key demands included the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Naga areas, an end to the alleged arming of Kuki militants, scrapping of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact, branding of Kuki militant groups as terrorist organisations, repatriation of Kuki refugees and deportation of those labelled illegal Kuki immigrants. Some banners also called for the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen.
⚡PEOPLE’S RALLY DEMANDING GOI
Demands:
1. To resolve the political crisis in Manipur
2. To stop the proxy war in Manipur
3. To remove Assam Rifles from Naga AreasDate: 05th NOVEMBER 2026
Organized by: TNL and Tangkhul Frontal Organisations under the aegis of UNC
Venue: Ukhrul District Headquarter, Manipur.@PMOIndia @HMOIndia @MIB_India
@CMO_MANIPUR_ @LokBhavManipur
@Spearcorps @adgpi @official_dgar
@ANI @thewire_in @ThePrintIndia @IndiaToday @IndiaTodayNE @republic @IndianExpress @thecaravanindia @DeccanHerald @htTweets @the_hindu @newslaundry @hornbilltv @Nagaland_Post @NELiveTV @meiteiheritage @EastMojo @NewsNltv @ramindesai @LevinaNeythiri @vijaita @TheBlueHills49 @kartikeya_1975 @karishmahasnat @rajkbhat @tweets_prateekg @NilakshiRabhaIN
@nit_set @SumirDH @jeegujja— 📍SHANGH CHE🚭 (@JosephNaga1986) November 5, 2026
Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) president Ramreichan Keishing told the gathering that the rally centred on three main demands: a lasting political settlement to the Manipur crisis, cessation of the alleged proxy war, and the exit of Assam Rifles from Naga-inhabited zones. He charged that Kuki groups operating under the SoO agreement, enjoying the protection of the central government, were launching attacks on Nagas. Keishing accused Assam Rifles of bias despite their security mandate, saying the force had failed to act neutrally. “If Assam Rifles are not for the security of the Nagas, then there is no point in keeping them,” he declared, vowing that the agitation would continue until the demands were met.
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The Naga groups also submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the district commissioner. The memorandum urged the Centre to treat the Manipur crisis as a deep-rooted historical issue linked to alleged illegal Kuki immigration and imbalances between the hill and valley regions, and to deliver a permanent political solution by correcting what it called structural disparities.
It claimed that 32 Naga civilians had lost their lives in violence since the conflict erupted and raised alarm over demographic shifts in the hills, stating that the number of Kuki villages in Manipur had grown from around 73 recorded in the 1881 census to 1,878 today. “Conflict is not new to Manipur due to historical demographic distortions caused by skewed Kuki refugee/immigration policy and the influx of illegal Kuki immigrants from neighbouring Burma,” the memorandum alleged.
The 10-point charter of demands reiterated calls for a political settlement, an end to alleged hostilities against the Naga community, and the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Naga areas.
