Both the chiefs and KNF have urged media outlets to verify facts before publishing reports that could damage inter-community trust in a fragile region.
BY PC Bureau
July 27, 2025: Village chiefs and chairmen affected by the expansion of the Asian Highway-1 (AH-1)/National Highway-2 (NH-2) in Kangpokpi district have issued a joint statement strongly rebutting an NDTV investigative report. The report, titled “Exclusive: Blank Papers, Multiple Credits – Manipur’s Multi-Crore Highway Compensation Mystery” and published on July 23, alleged irregularities in land compensation disbursals and claimed that villagers were coerced into signing blank documents by armed groups.
Calling the report “misleading, factually inaccurate, and damaging to the truth,” the chiefs expressed disappointment over what they described as an “irresponsible conflation” of legitimate land grievances with serious but unrelated allegations. They clarified that their names and petitions, referenced in the report, were limited to formal complaints submitted to the former Deputy Commissioner of Kangpokpi regarding anomalies in land acquisition—specifically, the wrongful classification of private ancestral land as government property.
In their joint statement, the chiefs emphasized that they accepted compensation for standing structures without protest. However, they were compelled to accept the compensation award under protest due to the total denial of compensation for land and solatium, which they insist are legally due for ancestral lands occupied since before India’s independence.
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Crucially, the chiefs categorically denied allegations that villagers were forced by the Kuki National Front (KNF) to sign blank compensation forms. They described these claims as “entirely baseless and defamatory,” and warned that such narratives distort the facts and harm the credibility of their peaceful protest.
Separately, the KNF also issued a formal rebuttal on July 23, rejecting any involvement in the alleged coercion or misappropriation of compensation funds. The group called the allegations “fabricated and defamatory,” accusing certain media elements of trying to derail the fragile peace process currently underway in the region.
KNF spokesperson Lh. Stephen, Information and Publicity Secretary, stated that the group remains fully committed to facilitating development projects, especially public infrastructure initiatives like road expansion. He asserted that the KNF has operated strictly under the ground rules of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement signed with the Government of India and the Manipur state government.
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The organization further claimed that the timing and nature of the media allegations suggested a deliberate attempt to disrupt political dialogue and sow discord among communities. “These accusations serve only the interests of those who want to sabotage peace and fracture trust between communities and stakeholders,” Stephen said.
Both the village chiefs and the KNF have urged media outlets to verify information before publishing, warning that the spread of unverified claims risks inflaming tensions and undermining ongoing reconciliation efforts. They called for greater media responsibility, especially when reporting on sensitive matters involving land rights, community grievances, and the peace process.
Reaffirming their peaceful approach, the KNF concluded that it would not be distracted by “false narratives” and remained committed to upholding the rights and dignity of the Kuki people through democratic means.
