Th. Manihar, once seen as a unifying voice, now stands accused of fueling communal discord in Manipur. With his speech igniting outrage and violence, his resignation alone cannot erase the damage. Will the authorities take action? #ArrestManihar
BY Navin Upadhyay
A massive scandal has rocked Manipur following a viral social media post that led to the resignation of Th. Manihar, President of the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) Manipur.
“Manipur is only for Meiteis and the Indigenous Nagas. All other communities (Kuki, Muslim Pangal, Nepali,etc2.) don’t belong to this land. They are made to stay here out of mercy”: This is the statement given by the so called FOCS president. @manipur_police are you there,” Th. Manihar said while addressing the so-called peace rally on March 8.
Manihar stepped down, taking “moral responsibility” for the statement he made during the rally (Shantigi Paojel Puba Khongchat) 8—remarks that exposed his deep-seated hatred for the Kuki-Zo community and reinforced allegations that the “March to the Hills” was, in reality, a veiled attempt to incite unrest in Manipur.
The call for this march had already heightened tensions in the state, with Kuki-Zo groups strongly opposing it. Had the issue merely been about allowing buses to ply with police escort, the situation might have remained under control. However, the rally acted as a red flag to a bull. The Kuki-Zo groups refused to allow what they saw as a provocative march disguised as a peace rally.
Manipur is only for Meiteis and the Indigenous Nagas. All other communities (Kuki, Muslim Pangal, Nepali,etc2.) don’t belong to this land. They are made to stay here out of mercy”:
This is the statement given by the so called FOCS president.
@manipur_police are you there❓
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The controversy surrounding Manihar’s resignation raises serious concerns about a deeper conspiracy by vested interests to manufacture a law-and-order crisis in Manipur. Under these circumstances, the administration must take immediate action: book the FOCS president and interrogate him for delivering a speech that all but declared that the Kuki-Zo community had no place in Manipur.
Incidentally, hundreds of people across the country are languishing in jails for far lighter charges of inciting unrest. If the law applies to them, it must apply to Manihar as well.
When Meiteis say “Peace March,” what they actually mean is: “#Manipur belongs only to Meiteis! All other communities must accept that their presence is conditional upon Meitei tolerance and permission.” This is exactly what FOCS President Th. Manihar stated.
Now, tell me, why… pic.twitter.com/Nzn5cO3EKH
— Min งึลมินธัง (@ngulmint) March 9, 2025
Manihar, who had long claimed to promote understanding between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities—backed by several Manipur-based organizations—now stands exposed. The violence that erupted on March 8 cannot be overlooked, and accountability must rest on his shoulders. He should not only be investigated for his inflammatory remarks but also prosecuted for his role in provoking unrest.
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The rally, which began in Imphal and moved toward Senapati, was halted by security forces before it could move beyond the boundaries of the state capital. However, a viral social media post alleged that Manihar told the crowd marching with him that Manipur belongs exclusively to the Meitei and Naga communities. In response to the backlash, Manihar attempted to clarify that his words were spoken out of frustration when security forces blocked the rally at a critical juncture. He insisted that he had no intention of excluding any community or creating misunderstandings, particularly with the Meitei-Pangal community.
Yet, given the gravity of his remarks and their impact, his resignation is not enough. His statement has already sown confusion and unrest among different sections of society. Manihar must be held accountable. His words and actions have further inflamed ethnic tensions, and the authorities must ensure that justice is served to prevent further destabilization of Manipur.
After all, if ordinary citizens can be jailed for attempting to incite unrest, why should Manihar be spared?
