A civil society group of Manipur's Meitei community has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to look into threats by "Chin-Kuki militants" who blocked Meitei pilgrims from going to a hilltop shrine.
The valley-dominant Meitei community called off their plan to visit the shrine of the deity Ibudhou Thangjing on Thangjing Ching (hill), which the Meiteis consider sacred, after community elders raised concerns over reports that militants have taken position on the hilltop.
"The inaction in the face of these threats - despite the imposition of President's rule and the presence of over one lakh security personnel - is deeply troubling, especially when the Ministry of Home Affairs, vide its notification dated March 1, 2025, explicitly directed the free movement of people across Manipur from March 8, 2025, warning of strict action against any obstruction," the Meitei Heritage Society said in a representation to Mr Shah.
Members of the Kuki tribes who gathered for a sit-in protest at Thangjing Hill in Churachandpur district had "warned" Meiteis against approaching the hill, saying any such attempt "will be opposed tooth and nail".
Kuki leaders and civil society groups have said they would oppose free movement of people in the state until their demand for a separate land carved out of Manipur is met.
Condemning the threats, the Meitei Heritage Society pointed out that Thangjing Ching held immense religious and cultural significance for the Meiteis, who have been going on annual pilgrimage to the hilltop since ancient times.
"The current blockade is a blatant violation of our constitutional rights and a direct assault on our heritage. Such actions are comparable to Hindus being barred from their pilgrimage to Kailash Parbat or Muslims from traveling to Mecca," it said. "The threats and intimidation - including public death threats and video evidence of armed militants stationed at the hilltop - amount to a targeted campaign to deny religious freedom."
The Meitei Heritage Society requested the Home Ministry to consider three points for countering the threat: ensure safety of Meitei pilgrims, take decisive action against militants and their supporters blocking pilgrims, and deploy adequate security forces around the sacred site.
"The response of the Government of India will determine whether the Indian State prevails and safeguard the constitutional rights of its citizens; or whether intimidation by Chin-Kuki militants and their frontal groups are allowed to overrule the rule of law," the Meitei Heritage Society said.
The ethnic violence between the Meitei community and the nearly two dozen distinct tribes collectively known as Kukis, who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 260 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.
Among the many friction points in Manipur, the general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kukis who share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar's Chin State and Mizoram want a land of their own carved out of Manipur.
Both sides have accused each other of attacking villages in the foothills.
Kuki leaders and groups including militants that represent their tribes and signed the controversial suspension of operations (SoO) agreement have pointed at the ethnic clashes as the reason why they escalated their demand from an autonomous council to a separate administration, or a Union Territory with an assembly.
Meitei leaders termed this claim a lie, saying evidence about the demand for 'Kukiland' is widely available and goes back many years.
