Manipur Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen reaches out to Naga villages, calls for peace and coexistence

Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen has appealed to Kuki and Naga communities to reject violence and strengthen peaceful coexistence during an outreach programme in nine Naga-dominated villages in her Kangpokpi Assembly constituency. The programme combined a call for inter-community harmony with the distribution of welfare assistance and awareness initiatives aimed at promoting women's empowerment and livelihood opportunities.

The outreach was held at Yaikongpao, a Thangal Naga-dominated village, as part of the concluding programme of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan 2026, organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years in public service.

Residents from Daili, Phyapou, Yaikongpao, Tumnoupokpi, Liyai, Kalapahar, Liyai Kongpao, Thanamba and Mahika attended the programme, which focused on dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation amid strained relations between Kuki and Naga communities in parts of Manipur.

Addressing the gathering, Kipgen urged residents to look beyond community divisions and avoid actions that could deepen tensions. Invoking her Christian faith, she said peaceful coexistence and reconciliation were essential to building a better future.

"If we cannot live peacefully on earth, how can we expect to live peacefully in heaven?" she said, adding that violence and hatred were contrary to the principles of love, forgiveness and compassion.

Questioning the consequences of continued hostility, Kipgen urged people to consider the impact of violence on families and future generations. She called on residents to preserve relations across community lines and ensure that differences did not lead to further conflict.

The Deputy Chief Minister said she was encouraged by the continued interaction between people from different communities in her constituency. She cited the ability of residents to visit Kangpokpi district headquarters and shop peacefully together as an example of coexistence, contrasting it with areas where violence and restrictions on movement had disrupted normal activities.

Kipgen urged the people of Kangpokpi to demonstrate that communities with different identities could live together peacefully. She also assured residents of continued efforts towards development in the constituency and the wider district.

The programme included the distribution of water storage tanks and housing-related assistance, including galvanised iron (G.I.) sheets, to beneficiaries. Awareness sessions on women's entrepreneurship, the Lakhpati Didi initiative and the Manipur Women Empowerment Scheme were also organised, with a focus on economic participation and sustainable livelihoods.

The event was attended by village chiefs and khullakpas, along with leaders and workers of the BJP's Sadar Hills and Kangpokpi mandals.

A Naga community leader welcomed the opportunity to interact directly with Kipgen, who represents the constituency in the Manipur Assembly and serves as Deputy Chief Minister. He said the arrangement allowed villagers to raise their grievances and development-related concerns with their elected representative.

The leader also appealed to residents to move beyond divisions based on community identity and work collectively for the welfare of the region.

"Let us abandon the mindset of 'you are Kuki' and 'you are Naga'. Such divisions will only distance us from one another," he said, calling for mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

He described Kipgen's engagement with the villages as an opportunity to strengthen communication between the administration and local communities, expressing hope that sustained dialogue would help build trust.

The outreach concluded with calls for continued engagement, development and cooperation among communities. The programme highlighted the role of grassroots interactions and welfare delivery in maintaining communication and promoting peaceful coexistence in conflict-affected Manipur.