Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s first visit to Manipur in over two years comes at a time when the state&rsquo;s two dominant communities are sharply divided over the path to peace and stability. While the Kuki-Zo tribals see his arrival as a chance to push their long-pending demand for separation from Manipur, the Meitei groups warn against what they call &ldquo;ethnicisation&rdquo; of citizenship and statehood.
The Kuki-Zo Council, representing tribal interests, welcomed the visit, reiterating their call for a Union Territory with legislature under Article 239A. In its statement, the body said the demand was born out of &ldquo;necessity for peace, security, and survival.&rdquo;
It recalled the community&rsquo;s suffering, citing 250 lives lost, over 7,000 homes destroyed, 360 churches torched, and more than 40,000 displaced people still living in relief camps. Despite this, the council stressed faith in India&rsquo;s democratic spirit.
The Zomi Council also backed the call for separation, citing Article 3 of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to redraw state boundaries. They described the recently signed revised Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact as the &ldquo;only means for a permanent solution.&rdquo; The new terms mandate relocation of militant camps away from Meitei areas while respecting Manipur&rsquo;s territorial integrity.
As a goodwill gesture ahead of the PM&rsquo;s visit, Kuki bodies agreed to lift the blockade of National Highway 2, clearing the way for free movement of goods and people.
On the other side, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) struck a defiant note. In a statement, it said, &ldquo;Any attempt to ethnicise citizenship or statehood will only accelerate Balkanisation rather than foster unification.&rdquo;
COCOMI demanded a National Register of Citizens (NRC)-like exercise to detect &ldquo;illegal immigrants,&rdquo; which it said had created a &ldquo;demographic imbalance.&rdquo; It also pressed for the resettlement of displaced persons and restoration of curtailed constitutional rights, including the right to free movement across the state.
On the new SoO pact, COCOMI was categorical in its rejection, calling it a &ldquo;deceptive pact&rdquo; and urging the PM to end what it described as a &ldquo;proxy war&rdquo; under the guise of agreements.
For the first time since violence erupted in 2023, both communities have placed their contrasting demands squarely before the Prime Minister. Kuki-Zo groups want separation and autonomy, while Meitei groups want unity under strict citizenship scrutiny.
As one civil society leader put it, the real test of the Prime Minister&rsquo;s visit will be whether his message can bridge this deepening divide, or whether it will cement two sharply opposed narratives on Manipur&rsquo;s future.

Modi’s Manipur Visit: Two Voices, One State

Kuki-Zo seek Union Territory, Meiteis push NRC as PM visits violence-hit Manipur

Modi’s Manipur Visit: Two Voices, One State

Kuki-Zo seek Union Territory, Meiteis push NRC as PM visits violence-hit Manipur

September 13, 2025 | 17:44 IST