Speakers accused the Government of India of inaction and political hypocrisy, pointing out that more than 65,000 people remain displaced over two-and-a-half years after violence erupted in May 2023, with no clear rehabilitation roadmap or financial package in place.
BY PC Bureau
December 14, 2025: A coalition of Manipur-based organisations staged a massive protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday, demanding the immediate, safe, and dignified return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their original homes amid the prolonged ethnic crisis in the state.The protest was jointly organised by the Delhi Meetei Co-Ordinating Committee (DMCC), Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), and United Kakching Students (UKS).
Speakers accused the Government of India of criminal negligence, deliberate inaction, and political hypocrisy in addressing the Manipur crisis. They pointed out that displaced individuals from both the Meetei and Kuki communities continue to endure unsafe and degrading conditions in relief camps, over two and a half years after ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023
Protesters strongly rejected what they called a “divide-and-rule” policy, alleging that armed ethnic groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework receive state patronage, which deepens divisions and blocks the safe return of displaced families.
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Several IDPs, uprooted from their ancestral villages, participated in the demonstration, describing extended displacement as state-sponsored ethnic segregation and collective punishment. They emphasised that confinement in camps violates constitutional rights and human dignity.
Organisers noted that over 65,000 people from both communities remain displaced since the violence began, turning them into “refugees in their own land.” They criticised the central government for not fulfilling assurances, including a December 2025 deadline, by failing to provide a policy framework, rehabilitation roadmap, or financial package for resettlement.
Speakers also condemned alleged use of force by security forces against peaceful IDPs seeking to return home, while claiming SoO-linked armed groups go unchecked. They argued that security forces must protect civilians, not enforce divisions or buffer zones within the state.
Referencing the Supreme Court’s ruling against Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh, protesters called the patronage of proxy armed groups unconstitutional and demanded similar measures in Manipur. They insisted that peace cannot emerge from militarisation, segregation, or indifference.
The demonstration concluded with calls for the Government of India to restore constitutional governance, dismantle divisive security arrangements, and ensure justice, unity, and lasting peace in Manipur.
Key demands:
- Immediate, safe, dignified, and unconditional return of all IDPs from both Meetei and Kuki communities, with full security, rehabilitation, and livelihood support.
- Immediate dismantling of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework and end to alleged state patronage of armed groups.
- Termination of alleged divide-and-rule policies, with restoration of peace, unity, and constitutional order in Manipur.
