Manipur groups hold protest at Jantar Mantar, demand immediate and safe return of displaced families

Several Manipur-based organisations staged a mass protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, December 14, demanding the immediate, safe, and dignified return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their original homes in Manipur.

The protest was jointly organised by the Delhi Meetei Co-Ordinating Committee (DMCC), Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), and United Kakching Students (UKS).

Addressing the gathering, organisers alleged criminal apathy, deliberate inaction, and political hypocrisy on the part of the Government of India in handling the ongoing Manipur crisis. The demonstrators asserted that displaced persons from both Meetei and Kuki communities continue to live in relief camps under unsafe and degrading conditions, more than a year after large-scale violence erupted.

Protesters unequivocally rejected what they described as a “divide-and-rule” policy, alleging that armed ethnic groups operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework are being patronised by the state, thereby deepening ethnic divisions and obstructing the return of displaced families.

Several IDPs who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral villages participated in the demonstration, warning that prolonged displacement amounts to state-engineered ethnic segregation and collective punishment. Speakers stressed that continued confinement in relief camps violates constitutional rights and fundamental human dignity.

The protest was addressed by Dr Seram Rojesh, Convenor, DMCC; Dr Naorem Bobo, Spokesperson, DMCC; Hijam Rajen, Advisor, DMCC; Elizabeth, social and gender activist; Sangeeta, Spokesperson, Women’s Wing, DMCC; Lanchenbi, President, MSAD; and Amarik Singh Pawal, Manipur Sikh and social activist.

According to the organisers, over 65,000 people from both communities have been displaced since May 3, 2025, effectively turning them into “refugees in their own land.” They alleged that despite repeated assurances and a publicly stated deadline of December 2025, the Centre has failed to introduce a policy framework, rehabilitation roadmap, or financial package for resettlement.

The speakers also condemned alleged use of force by security personnel against peaceful IDPs, claiming that civilians asserting their right to return home were targeted, while armed groups operating under the SoO allegedly remained unchecked. They argued that security forces are constitutionally mandated to protect civilians, not to enforce internal divisions or buffer zones within a state.

Citing the Supreme Court’s dismantling of Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh, the protesters argued that the use of proxy armed groups is unconstitutional and demanded similar action in Manipur. They maintained that peace cannot be achieved through militarisation, ethnic segregation, or political indifference.

The demonstration concluded with a set of demands calling on the Government of India to restore constitutional governance, dismantle divisive security arrangements, and ensure justice, unity, and lasting peace in Manipur.

Key demands raised by the protesters:

Immediate, safe, dignified, and unconditional return of all IDPs from both Meetei and Kuki communities, along with security, rehabilitation, and livelihood restoration.

Immediate dismantling of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework and an end to alleged state patronage of armed groups.

An end to alleged divide-and-rule policies and restoration of peace, unity, and constitutional order in Manipur.