Thadou Inpi Manipur Urges Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen to Uphold Thadou Identity, Reject Kuki Political Affiliations

IMPHAL, Feb 5 (NEPS): Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Thadou tribe in Manipur, has called upon Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen to clearly uphold her Thadou identity, protect Manipur’s territorial integrity, and disassociate herself from what it described as “Kuki political tags, organisations, and separatist ideology.”

In a media release issued on 5 February 2026, TIM congratulated Kipgen on her appointment, noting that she is the first member of the Thadou community to hold a constitutional post of this level. However, the organisation expressed concern over what it termed her “visible alignment with Kuki-centric narratives” since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.

TIM stated that there is no constitutional recognition of “Kuki” as a single community in Manipur, apart from the “Any Kuki Tribes (AKT)” category recorded in the 2011 Census. It asserted that Kipgen, as a Thadou tribe certificate holder elected from a general seat in Kangpokpi, must dissociate from Kuki social and political organisations and separatist movements.

The organisation further referred to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, stating that it safeguards Manipur’s territorial integrity. It also pointed to Kipgen’s personal association with the Kuki National Front (KNF), an SoO signatory group, and said she has a responsibility to uphold the agreement in both “letter and spirit.”

TIM said any statement or action promoting disunity, separatism, or exclusivist politics would amount to a breach of public trust. It also emphasised that there should be no intimidation or obstruction of the Deputy Chief Minister’s presence in Imphal, stating that Thadou people have been moving freely in the valley under a Thadou–Meitei understanding.

Reiterating its stand, TIM said Kipgen “must be identified as Thadou, not Kuki,” and urged her to reject what it termed “Kuki ideology” and fully embrace her Thadou identity within a united, multi-ethnic Manipur.

The organisation further called on her to defend Thadou rights and strictly adhere to the SoO agreement, rejecting any interpretation that supports a Separate Administration or Union Territory for hill areas.

The statement concluded by saying that Kipgen’s office is constitutional, her responsibility is public, and her accountability is non-negotiable.