In the wake of a commendable operation carried out by the Assam Rifles in Chandel district, where 10 heavily armed militants were neutralized while attempting to cross into Indian territory, there was a brief and much-needed glimmer of restored public trust in the security forces. For a moment, people in Manipur—long bruised by ethnic violence and mistrust—began to believe again in the possibility of a state machinery that works in the interest of all its citizens, regardless of community.
However, this fragile hope has been shaken once more.
A new storm has erupted, this time not from across the border or the jungles, but from a microphone held in broad daylight by a man named Paojakhup Guite, President of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Delhi. In a widely circulated video on social media, Guite not only threatened to prevent members of the Meitei community from attending the upcoming Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district but went so far as to declare that no Meitei “should be allowed to leave alive” if they entered Kuki-dominated areas.
Such a statement is not only inflammatory but also criminal. It is a direct incitement to violence and communal hatred, made worse by the fact that it comes from a person who claims to represent students—a body of youth and intellect. Instead, his speech mirrors the language of radicalism and terror, not education and dialogue.
Let us be clear: this is not just a matter of hate speech. This is a matter of national security, law and order, and above all, the collective psyche of a state already torn apart by months of bloodshed and displacement. The Shirui Lily Festival, scheduled from May 20 to 24, has long stood as a cultural symbol of unity—especially between the Tangkhuls of Ukhrul and the Meiteis of the valley. For someone to target such an event with calls for violence is not merely to sow division; it is to sabotage reconciliation efforts and provoke fresh cycles of bloodletting.
The timing of Guite’s speech could not be more dangerous. The Centre has been trying to initiate a dialogue process involving Kuki CSOs and Kuki-Zo MLAs, alongside leaders of the Meitei community, under the supervision of national BJP leadership. While the process is admittedly delicate, statements like Guite’s threaten to unravel whatever thin threads of understanding are being spun behind the scenes. The message this sends to the people is that even as governments talk peace, radicals walk free—and that the rule of law is optional for some.
This cannot be allowed to continue.
The government must act—swiftly and decisively. Merely registering an FIR and launching searches is not enough. An immediate arrest and a strong legal case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) , including Section 196 (promoting enmity between groups), Section 353 (statements conducting to public mischief), and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, must be pursued.
Anything less would not only embolden other fringe voices but send a message to the public that hate can go unpunished if dressed in the garb of community leadership.
Moreover, the security concerns raised by this incident are very real. The road from Imphal to Ukhrul passes through several Kuki-dominated villages. Given the armed presence of Kuki militants in the region and the history of violent ambushes, Guite’s statement could act as a trigger for organized attacks on Meitei travelers. The state and central governments must therefore not only ensure the arrest of Guite but also beef up security along the Imphal–Ukhrul route during the festival period.
The moral and administrative question is simple: Can a state under President’s Rule allow an open call for communal murder to go unchecked?
Silence, in this case, would be complicity.
Manipur does not need more speeches. It needs justice. The government must prove to the people of Manipur—both Meiteis and Kukis—that law still matters, and that peace is not a performance but a policy. Only through real action can trust, so easily lost, be regained.
Even though Police had taken up cases against him, Guite walks free till today, the peace process bleeds.