Manipur’s Churachandpur district faced unprecedented chaos on Friday due to a district-wide bandh protesting the role of Kuki-Zo lawmakers in the freshly formed state government. Life came to a grinding halt, with essential services paralyzed and security forces on high alert.
Tribal outfits, including the influential Kuki Students’ Organization and women’s groups, mobilized thousands for the shutdown. Their grievance: the participation of community MLAs in Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh’s administration, seen as undermining tribal autonomy amid ongoing ethnic strife.
Eyewitnesses described tense scenes at district headquarters where stick-wielding crowds stopped vehicles and held defiant rallies. Similar agitations rocked Tengnoupal, amplifying the wave of dissent across hill regions.
The spark ignited Thursday night with violent confrontations. Protesters targeted BJP Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen, burning effigies and hurling stones at security lines. Forces countered aggressively, dispersing mobs with lathis and tear smoke, leaving several wounded.
Kipgen’s virtual oath-taking as the cabinet’s only female member from Kangpokpi fueled the backlash. Of ten Kuki-Zo legislators—seven BJP-linked—three have aligned with the government, prompting the Kuki-Zo Council’s boycott declaration.
In the assembly’s seventh session, leaders emphasized peace. The Governor stressed security measures statewide, while the CM implored elected reps to aid stability. Extra troops patrol hotspots, but sporadic clashes persisted into dawn, keeping the region on edge.