Seilen Haokip was invited, then uninvited. Days before the Delhi University Literary Festival, objections from certain groups led to his abrupt last-minute exclusion from a crucial panel discussion. This is his interview after the incident. It will run in three parts. In the remaining two parts, he discusses what lies ahead for Manipur and the path forward.
BY Navin Upadhyay
There are strong indications that the organizers of the Delhi University Literary Festival (DULF) decided to bar Kuki National Organisation (KNO) spokesperson Seilen Haokip from participating in a panel discussion titled The Great Game East: The Northeast Cauldron at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on February 21—just two days before the event.
In an exclusive interview with Power Corridors, Haokip recalled that he was invited to attend the festival in January.
“At no stage did I have the slightest suspicion that, at the last minute, I’d not be allowed to attend the discussion,” he said.
The Invitation & Last-Minute Removal
Mr. Haokip explained that one of the organizers, named Siddhartha, had been in touch with him regarding his travel and stay, but there was no discussion about his speech or any concerns regarding his participation.
“I was excited to be on a panel of luminaries like Lieutenant General (Retd.) Konsam Himalay Singh and Shiv Kunal Verma to discuss the Manipur crisis. But I had not foreseen what was coming,” he said.
It was only after he arrived in Delhi on February 20 that he learned, for the first time, about objections raised by Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) convenor Khuraijam Athouba regarding his participation in the event.
“It amused me. Here was a man who incited the Meiteis to kill Kukis. Here was a man with the most dubious track record, and yet he had no qualms about raising a finger at me,” he said.
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Haokip also saw similar objections on social media but dismissed them, not expecting them to escalate further.
However, on the evening of February 21, he was first informed by someone from his community that his name had been removed from the list of panelists on the DU Lit Fest website.
“Even then, it didn’t strike me that they would not allow me to attend the panel discussion. After all, I expected to be informed formally if such a decision had been taken by the organizers,” he explained.
To be doubly sure, Haokip sent emails to Mr. Shiv Kunal Verma, the moderator of the discussion, and Mr. Siddhartha. “But none of them cared to respond,” he said.
Still, Haokip remained hopeful and proceeded to SRCC around noon on February 22 for the discussion. “While we were having an informal chat with a group of people, Kunal Verma took me aside and said there had been protests over my participation and that it would be advisable for me to opt out to avoid the DU Lit Fest getting bad publicity.”
Haokip said he was stunned to hear this.
“Then Mr. Verma asked me—had the same not been conveyed to me by Mr. Siddhartha? I said no. But then it struck me that the game had already been fixed in advance. It was a very unfortunate thing,” he said.
Still, Haokip complied. “I obliged Mr. Verma because I did not want to create any scene there. What else could I have done? Fought? I behaved like a gentleman and came out of the room.”
When Kuki students in attendance learned about the incident, they were outraged. However, Haokip advised them to restrain themselves. “A great opportunity was lost to place the Kuki side of the story before the nation,” he lamented.
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On Freedom of Speech & Representation
When asked about the larger debate surrounding his exclusion—particularly whether a spokesperson of an insurgent group, even one under a Suspension of Operations agreement with the Centre, should be given a platform at such events—Haokip smiled.
“For years, I’ve been holding discussions with high-ranking officials in the government to prepare a roadmap for the restoration of peace in Manipur. If all those people who incited violence and are fronting for militant groups through so-called civilian platforms can engage even with the State Governor, why can’t I represent the voice of the Kuki population before the nation? Why Can I speak for the Kuki youth who is forced to live in the hills and forest out of fear of his liv
Incidentally, when Haokip was making this point Arambai Tenggol leaders Korounganba Khuman and Robin Mangang were meeting with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan .Both Korounganba Khuman and Robin Mangang are currently under investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged involvement in serious criminal activities including looting of weapons and attack on security forces.
“If you gag our voices, you’ll never hear the voices of those youth. You’ll never know why they roam the hills and forests instead of choosing to go to university and school and embrace a cozy life. You will never hear the suffering of the tribal people, who have been forced to live on the fringes of civilization,” he said with a sigh.
As Seilen Haokip reflected on his exclusion from the Delhi University Literary Festival, his words resonated beyond personal grievance—they exposed a troubling contradiction. While he was denied a chance to present his perspective at an academic forum, leaders of Arambai Tenggol—linked to violence and under investigation by the NIA—were welcomed by the Governor for talks.
This stark disparity is not just about one event or one individual. It is about whose voices are deemed acceptable, whose grievances are acknowledged, and whose suffering is ignored. Haokip’s exclusion was not merely an inconvenience—it was a statement, one that echoes through the hills and forests of Manipur, where countless unheard voices still struggle for recognition.
“If you gag our voices,” Haokip warned, “you’ll never hear the suffering of those forced to live on the fringes of civilization. “We have been deprived of everything. Now you want to take away our freedom to speak also. How fair is this?”
