Manipur: MLA Khemchand’s Ukhrul relief camp visit draws objection

A visit by MLA Y. Khemchand to the Litan Sareikhong Relief Camp in Ukhrul on December 8 has drawn objections from the camp authorities and local bodies, who say the visit was not coordinated with them.

The MLA arrived at around 9.30 a.m. along with a group of BJP workers, at a time when many internally displaced persons (IDPs) were out for daily work, leaving mainly women, children, and the elderly at the camp. According to Camp in-charge Lunkhojang Baite, the visit was neither scheduled nor communicated and lasted briefly, during which photographs were taken.

Camp representatives later expressed concern over media reports, saying that some coverage appeared to conflate the MLA’s stopover with an unrelated interview conducted by a journalist. They said this may have led to the impression that the MLA had engaged in wider interactions with camp residents. The camp authorities urged media outlets to exercise caution and accuracy.

The Kuki Inpi Ukhrul District (KIU) also expressed its reservations over the visit, calling it a breach of protocol and saying that the presence of a security detail unsettled IDPs who continue to face uncertainty. The organisation noted that no district-level Kuki bodies nor the local youth organisation had been informed beforehand.

The KIU further stated that while movement of Meitei individuals through the district has been allowed in the interest of peaceful coexistence, this does not constitute permission for political visits without prior consultation.

Both the KIU and the camp authorities called on political leaders and media personnel to act with greater consideration and transparency in situations involving displaced families.