Despite gunfire, burned vehicles, and assaults on security forces in Manipur, national television chose to amplify less severe incidents in opposition-ruled states. Is this journalism, or partisan programming?
BY Navin Upadhyay
For three days starting June 8, Manipur was engulfed in what locals described as “massive chaos,” with violent protests, gunfire, and ethnic tensions rocking the state. Yet, as Imphal’s streets burned, India’s major TV news channels remained largely silent, offering no primetime debates or rolling coverage. Meanwhile, relatively minor incidents in West Bengal and Karnataka dominated airwaves, raising questions about political bias, regional neglect, and the priorities of India’s media landscape.
The unrest began on June 7, 2025, triggered by the arrest of cadres from the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol in Imphal, alongside protests in Moreh over the detention of the self styled “army chief’ of Arambai Tenggol Asem Kanan Singh. Violent clashes erupted in five districts— Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur with mobs torching vehicles, blocking roads, and clashing with security forces. The situation escalated with the Meitei militia opening fire at security forces, attacking police officers and pelting stones at Army personnel.
READ: Arambai Tenggol Cadre Nabbed for Firing at Forces in Imphal
Manipur’s history of ethnic strife between the Meitei majority and Kuki-Zo tribal communities provided a volatile backdrop. Since May 2023, the state has seen over 258 deaths and 60,000 displacements due to ethnic violence, with 4,786 houses and 386 religious structures destroyed. The June 7 unrest followed a pattern of unrest, including the November 2024 protests after the recovery of six bodies in Jiribam, which led to curfews and internet suspensions. While specific casualty figures for June 2025 remain unconfirmed, the scale of protests and security deployment suggests significant disruption.
National TV’s Deafening Silence
Despite the gravity of the situation, national TV channels provided minimal coverage. Primetime slots from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM on June 7–9, typically reserved for high-decibel debates, ignored Manipur. Instead, channels focused on other stories.
This neglect mirrors past patterns. In 2023, channels ignored Manipur’s ethnic violence for over two months until a viral video of a two Kuki women paraded nakked on the streets made it impossible to “black out;’ Manipur any more.
Posts on X echo the resentment against TV channels with users accusing them of staying “SILENT” on Manipur while obsessing over Karnataka’s stampede or West Bengal’s crimes.
West Bengal and Karnataka: Amplified Outrage
In stark contrast, incidents in West Bengal and Karnataka— often less severe than Manipur’s chaos— received wall-to-wall coverage. In West Bengal, governed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), minor scandals have historically dominated airwaves:
READ: Sonam in Shillong, Paid Hitman from Raja’s Own Wallet
- Sandeshkhali Protests (2024): Allegations of land grabbing and sexual violence by TMC leaders triggered weeks of debates on Republic TV, Times Now, and Aaj Tak, with hashtags like #SandeshkhaliBurns amplifying BJP’s narrative against CM Mamata Banerjee.
- Porn Racket Row (2025): A TMC-linked scandal fueled nonstop tickers and primetime panels, with India Today airing viral videos to stoke outrage.
- Tiranga Yatra (2025): BJP’s symbolic march post-Operation Gangotri was heavily covered, overshadowing Manipur’s unrest.
🚨Protests erupted in 🇮🇳Manipur over the arrest of a Meitei outfit leader from Arambai Tenggol. #Violence spread across Imphal valley, prompting prohibitory orders in five districts and internet suspension. Mobs torched vehicles and clashed with police. Security has been… pic.twitter.com/RyMuyE6HMm
— Info Room (@InfoR00M) June 8, 2025
Karnataka, under Congress rule, saw similar amplification:
- Bengaluru Stampede (May 2025): A tragic incident killing 11 at Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations led to days of coverage, with India Today and Republic TV demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation. Police warnings about overcrowding were debated extensively, unlike Manipur’s security concerns.
- MUDA Land-Allotment Scam (Mysore Urban Development Authority)These stories, often urban and politically expedient, featured live reports, breaking news alerts, and BJP-dominated panels, contrasting sharply with Manipur’s near-invisibility.
- *Valmiki Corporation Scam (Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation)
READ: Special Story: Why the Delay? CBI’s Fast Northeast Lane Ends in Manipur
Why the Disparity?
Several factors explain the media’s neglect of Manipur:
- Political Bias: Manipur, governed by the BJP under President’s Rule since February 2025 after CM N Biren Singh’s resignation, faces less scrutiny from channels aligned with the ruling party. West Bengal and Karnataka, ruled by opposition parties, are easier targets for BJP-friendly outlets..
- Geographical Neglect: Manipur’s remote Northeast location and smaller audience base make it less appealing to Delhi- and Mumbai-based channels, which prioritize Hindi heartland and urban viewers. Posts on X highlighted this, with one user lamenting, “No discussions, no debate, no coverage in Delhi or Mumbai media!”
- Sensationalism Over Substance: Manipur’s complex ethnic issues lack the viral appeal of scandals or political slugfests. In 2023, only a shocking video broke the silence, and no similar trigger emerged in June 2025.
- Economic Incentives: Primetime debates thrive on TRPs, favoring high-drama stories like Karnataka’s stampede or Bengal’s controversies over Manipur’s nuanced crisis.
The Cost of Silence
The lack of coverage has far-reaching consequences. With minimal public awareness, pressure for government intervention in Manipur remains low, delaying aid or policy responses. The state’s ethnic fault lines, already strained by years of violence, risk further escalation without national scrutiny.
The media’s selective outrage also fuels regional alienation. Manipur, accounting for 77% of Northeast India’s violent incidents in 2023, is consistently marginalized, reinforcing perceptions of a Delhi-centric media blind to the Northeast’s struggles. This erodes trust in national media, with users on X calling out channels for “reporting minute by minute updates on the Israel’s offensive against Palestine and Russia—Ukraine war while ignoring Manipur’s month-long violence in 2023.
Amid the flames and gunfire, one cannot forget the silence of those who claim to speak for the nation. Where were the primetime debates when women were raped, mauled, and burned alive in the valleys and hills of Manipur? Where were the anchors’ raised voices when mothers searched for the charred remains of their daughters? The ethics of journalism lie not in spectacle but in empathy—and yet, not a single headline demanded justice for the victims. No programme asked why armed mobs were allowed to rampage with impunity, or why the perpetrators enjoyed open political patronage. Not one show questioned how Leishemba Sanajaoba, titular king and founder of Arambai Tenggol, could threaten—on record—that his “boys” were ready to take up arms again if needed. This isn’t just media failure—it is complicity, dressed as neutrality.
As Manipur recovers from its latest upheaval, the silence of India’s TV channels stands as a glaring indictment of their priorities. The contrast with West Bengal and Karnataka’s amplified coverage reveals a media landscape driven by politics, proximity, and profit, rather than public interest. For Manipur’s voices to be heard, channels must move beyond sensationalism, invest in on-ground reporting, and challenge editorial biases that marginalize the Northeast. Until then, the nation’s screens will continue to reflect a fractured narrative, where some crises matter more than others.
