Image for representational purposes only. File | Photo credit: ANI
Thousands of people on Saturday (January 31, 2026) staged a rally in Manipur’s capital Imphal to assert their stand that the territorial and administrative integrity of the state cannot be divided at any cost.
The ‘Save Manipur’ rally was organized by the Coordination Committee for the Integrity of Manipur (COCOMI), an umbrella body of several Meitei civil society organisations.
Following ethnic conflict in the northeastern state, the Kuki community is demanding a separate administrative mechanism for its members. At least 260 people have been killed and thousands made homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis groups in the Imphal Valley and Kuki-Zo groups in the hills of Manipur since May 2023.
The state has been under President’s rule since February last year.
During the rally on Saturday (January 31, 2026), the agitators marched from Tiddim land to Thau land and covered a distance of 5 km.
They raised slogans and held placards reading “no compromise for territorial and administrative integrity of Manipur”, “no attempt should be made to divide Manipur” and “resettlement of IDPs to their home”.
The protesters also included people from non-Manipuri, Muslim and Naga communities along with Meiteis.
“We are attending this rally to reiterate our stand that the territorial and administrative integrity of Manipur must not be compromised at any cost. We cannot compromise on this,” said Bidyaluxmi Oinam.
Another protester, Khagembam Surjit, said, “The country of Manipur was built by our forefathers and not by illegal immigrants from Myanmar.”
The Kukis share ethnic ties with the people of the Chin community in Myanmar.
Due to the rally, security was tightened throughout the capital.
Published – 31 Jan 2026 15:02 IST
