Guwahati: A mass rally held in Imphal on Saturday demanded the immediate removal of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen from the Manipur Cabinet, warning that failure to fulfil the demand would lead to calls for the resignation of the incumbent government.
The protesters also urged the Centre not to renew the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki armed groups, implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) using 1951 as the base year and replace the Assam Rifles with a “neutral, professionally trained and accountable” force to secure the international border.
Held at THAU Ground under the banner “Mass Uprising Against GoI’s Proxy War in Manipur”, the rally adopted six resolutions unanimously, calling for changes in the Centre’s approach to the ongoing conflict and security situation in the state.
The demand for Kipgen’s removal was included in the sixth resolution, which called for her “immediate removal” from the Cabinet. It further stated that failure to meet the demand would prompt people to seek the resignation of the present government.
The rally was jointly organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), United Naga Council (UNC), Joint Tribes Council (JTC), Foot Hills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC), Naga People Union, Imphal (NPUI) and Naga Humanitarian Aid Committee Manipur (NHACM). Organisers said participants from both the hill and valley regions attended the demonstration.
Through the resolutions, the rally called on the Government of India to put an end to what the organisers described as proxy warfare and “narco-terrorism” against Manipur’s indigenous communities. They also demanded impartial and decisive action against all armed groups and networks allegedly involved in such activities.
On the SoO agreement, participants demanded that the Centre refuse to extend the pact with Kuki armed groups, which the organisers referred to as “Kuki Narco-Terrorist” groups. The agreement is scheduled to expire on September 24, 2026.
The rally also called for the closure of all designated SoO camps, a comprehensive account of weapons held under the agreement and strict action against violations of its ground rules.
Another major demand concerned the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs), with the organisers seeking their immediate, safe and permanent resettlement. Thousands of people displaced since May 3, 2023, continue to live in relief camps and temporary shelters, according to the organisers.
The resolution called for adequate security, restoration of properties, livelihood rehabilitation and access to essential public services to ensure that displaced families can return to their homes without fear or intimidation.
On border security, the participants demanded that the Assam Rifles be replaced by a force they described as neutral, professionally trained and accountable. They also called for enhanced surveillance along the international border to prevent illegal infiltration, cross-border movement of armed elements and trafficking.
The rally further sought implementation of the NRC with 1951 as the base year through a transparent, lawful and verifiable process. It also called for legal measures to prevent illegal immigrants from settling in Manipur and to protect the state’s demographic, cultural and territorial integrity.
In a joint declaration, the organisers said communities across different ethnic groups and regions remained committed to achieving peace based on justice, mutual respect and equal dignity.
They maintained that lasting peace could not be secured through what they described as selective justice, prolonged displacement, appeasement of armed groups or policies that widened divisions among communities.
The organisers urged the Union and Manipur governments to take immediate, meaningful and time-bound steps to implement all six resolutions adopted at the rally.